Lucknow, Jan 26 (IANS): To mark the World Wetlands Day, a 'Nature and Bird Festival' will be organised from January 27 to February 2 across Uttar Pradesh.

Celebrated annually on February 2, World Wetlands Day marks the United Nation's adoption of the convention on wetlands in 1971.

The festival will kick off at Chandrashekhar Azad Bird Sanctuary in Nawabganj, Unnao, on January 27, followed by events across various districts in Uttar Pradesh throughout the week.

State Forest Minister K P Malik will inaugurate the festival.

On January 28, events will be held at Govind Sagar Dam, Lalitpur Forest Division, Lalitpur, and on January 29 at Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary in Sant Kabir Nagar Forest division.

Similarly, on January 30, an event is scheduled at Lakhbahosi Bird Sanctuary in Kannauj. January 31 will witness a state-level event at Surajpur Wetland, Gautam Buddha Nagar Forest division.

On February 1, activities will take place at Prayagraj Sangam area, social forestry division, and on February 2 at Haiderpur Wetland, Muzaffarnagar forest division.

Various departments and institutions, including educational institutions and wildlife photographers, will join the forest department in participating in the festival.

The last edition of the festival took place in Mahoba in 2023, with previous events held at different locations in Uttar Pradesh, such as Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Lakhimpur Kheri in 2017, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary in Unnao in 2019, Sursarovar Bird Sanctuary in Keetham-Agra in 2020, and Okhla Bird Sanctuary in Gautam Buddha Nagar in 2021.

The Bird Festival could not be organised in 2022 due to the COVID pandemic.