Cowra Festival of International Understanding

The 2024 Cowra Festival of International Understanding will take place with guest nation, Italy! 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. Proudly hosting 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. Motivated Youth Ambassadors are selected each year to travel to the Guest Nation Embassy and share what they have learnt in Cowra. Annual events for the FOIU include a Tree Planting Ceremony, Ringing of the Cowra Peace Bell, Street Parade and Carnival and of course, the famous Cowra Duck Race!