An orphans' festival under the motto of We Are One Family is underway for a second time and looks like it will become an annual event.

The Democratic Network foundation organized the festival, entitled the Balkan Days of Art for Orphans, at the Kavacite seaside resort with the sole purpose of making orphans part of a Balkan family, according to the foundation board.

"The five-day festival does not involve any competitions to avoid hurting children's feelings," said Dochka Baneva, chairman of the foundation. Children and teachers from Balkan countries have been invited to participate in the art forum in Kavacite, which started on Wednesday and continues until Sunday.

The purpose and character of the festival We Are One Family is to unite orphans who have been living in poor conditions. "We would like to attract all these deprived children to the wonderful world of art and introduce them to ideas of peace and understanding in the world," said Baneva.

The festival will be divided into themes of art and literature, song, and folklore. Except for the official part of the concert, all the children will take part in small workshops with famous Bulgarian musicians, painters and writers. The orphans and all participants of the art event were taken on a boat trip along the Ropotamo river yesterday and visited the Lilies Museum in Sozopol.

The opening evening started with a concert by the Shik duet. Today children will go for a walk in the centre of Sozopol and a contest for a Mini and Miss festival will be held in the evening.

Every evening ends with a disco organized by the Democratic Network. Guests at the festival include Vesselin Marinov and Silvia Katsarova (singers) together with Ivan Granitski (writer), Denyo Denev (writer), Kostadin Kostadinovski (Macedonian composer) and Boryana Zanova (painter).

All the workshops will be in the form of small festivals designed by the different artists and writers. Folklore representatives are also invited to spend some creative time with the children during the days of the festival. The final concert on Sunday will bring together all the children who have attended the festival with the musicians and dancers staying in Kavacite.

"Children are given the unique opportunity to communicate with artists like Valeri Petrov (Bulgarian writer), Leda Mileva (famous for her books for children) Georgi Konstantinov and Uncle Punch (children's writer)," said Dochka Baneva. "Our idea is to co-ordinate the creative process for five days, and give the children an unforgettable experience," she added. "We wanted to make a family for all these children from the Balkans and give them greater trust in themselves and their talent," she said.

Ivan Granitski, a member of the Bulgarian writer's society and member of the Democratic Network, expressed his satisfaction at seeing the children in contact with the seaside for the first time in their life and knowing that he is a part of it. "This form of direct contact between children and artists will boost the children's confidence and motivation," said Granitski.

Each child will go back to their country with a book of stories and tales to remind them of their big family, said guest singer Krassi Giylmezev.