A unique event celebrating our diversity.

FULL PROGRAM 2026

Festival of International Understanding

A unique event celebrating our diversity.

The Festival originated in the mid-1960s at a time when the town was coming to recognise the benefits of promoting understanding between nations.

It is a credit to the local community and recognition of their support for this first event that the Festival immediately grabbed the public's attention.

Cowra Festival of International Understanding (originally the Festival of the Lachlan Valley) is a community-based event focusing on Cowra's unique place as the home of reconciliation.

Cowra proudly hosts Australia's World Peace Bell, this honour derived from Cowra's first-hand experience of war with the POW Breakout of Japanese prisoners in 1944 and is a prominent feature in the Cowra Festival of International Understanding.

A little more about our history …

This annual Festival was first conceived in 1964 as Cowra Shire approached the 150th anniversary of Surveyor George William Evans' exploration of the Lachlan River in May 1815. It was suggested that some form of celebration be held to mark this historic occasion.

A committee was subsequently formed to organise a celebration — "Cowra's Festival of the Lachlan Valley" — after a community competition had been held to name the event. Theme of the first Festival was the historical importance to the town and district of the first European exploration of the Lachlan Valley; and included a full-week of celebrations in April 1965. As a special guest, New Zealand's High Commissioner performed the official opening with more than £5400 ($10,800) raised from the inaugural Festival which was donated towards development of the Wyangala Waters foreshores area.

Following this success; it was decided to hold this unique celebration annually with the idea of featuring a guest nation strongly supported. The theme of "International Understanding" was also embraced at this time and because of our unique historical links Japan was invited to be the first Guest Nation. Succeeding years have seen a number of variations and additions to the Festival but the basic format and aim of the event has remained constant.

Cowra was bestowed with world recognition as the site of Australia's replica of the World Peace Bell in 1992 and the celebration's name was changed to the "Festival of International Understanding" an alteration that also incorporated the Festival's main theme that all the people of the world are one.

A Guest Nation has subsequently featured and been celebrated at each Festival; with the exception of 2002 and 2022 which focused on Cowra's cultural diversity and 2014 which featured the United Nations.

The Festival continues to be a major event in the Cowra Shire calendar and plays a significant role in building a sense of pride and identity in the Cowra community.