MUMBAI: The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) has announced the sixth annual IIFA Weekend and Awards, at a press conference held in Amsterdam.
To be hosted at the picturesque and pulsating city of Amsterdam the IIFA Weekend 2005 and the Samsung IIFA Awards will feature among other events, the IIFA World premiere of the film 'Parineeta', the IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match, the IIFA Film Festival and the FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum. Fans of cinema across the city can now look forward to exciting opportunities to meet their favourite Indian film stars in Amsterdam, as they partake in the IIFA Weekend celebrations.
The IIFA Weekend will be culminating with the Samsung IIFA Awards ceremony on 11 June at the splendid Amsterdam Arena. The IIFA Awards 2005 will be broadcast live and exclusive across the globe via Star TV at primetime on 11 June.
At the press conference, IIFA brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan said, "IIFA has consistently put in its best efforts to take Indian cinema to audiences across the globe and this year we are happy to bring the IIFA Weekend and Samsung IIFA Awards to Amsterdam, the magnificent gateway to Europe. Over the next four days, the Indian film fraternity will join the people of this picturesque city to recognize and applaud the achievements of Indian Cinema. Regarded as one of the most credible awards in India and abroad, the Samsung IIFA Awards has become a four-day festival and a collaboration of film industries across the globe. I am looking forward to the celebrations in Amsterdam this year."
The press conference also witnessed the naming ceremony of Amsterdam's beauty and pride- a magnificent tulip that was named after Aishwarya Rai. Hans van Driem, managing director of the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions, gave the tulip to Aishwarya Rai with the words: "Herewith I give you the Tulip. The Tulip is the symbol of the tourist destination Holland. This Tulip represents all the beautiful things of Holland. This Tulip will be named after one of the most beautiful women of the world, you Ms. Aishwarya Rai."
