Goenkars ! This is what WORLD GOA DAY is all about , Celebrating our GOAN HERITAGE !
I am sure many other Goan organistions will do what Goans of Portugal have done this year. Thank you Constantino Xavier and thank your TEAM for me. rene barreto WWW.GOADAY.COM 0000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 WORLD GOA DAY CELEBRATED FOR THE THIRD TIME IN PORTUGAL See article or print it: http://supergoa.brinkster.net/pt/forum/read.asp?c_post=547 Photos of the event: http://supergoa.brinkster.net/pt/photos/search_results.asp?c_cat=113 World Goa Day was celebrated for the third consecutive year in Portugal, between the 18th and 20th of September. This event is organized each year by the Goan diaspora around the world and is celebrated since 2001 in Portugal through the initiative of young Constantino Hermanns Xavier and his website Supergoa.com Originally an idea of Rene Barreto from London, World Goa Day (www.goaday.com) is celebrated annually to remember the memorable parliamentary vote of August 20, 1992 placing Konkani in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution. Due to the difficulties in holding this event in August, traditionally a month when most of the Portuguese take their holidays, the events were scheduled for September. Since the main objective of these celebrations is to strengthen the Goan community in Portugal, one of the largest in Europe, Constantino Xavier took the initiative to set up a joint Organizing Committee with representants of all five goan and damanese associations in Portugal, namely the Cultural Association of Goa, Daman and Diu Friends, the Fraternity Association Daman - Diu and Sympathizers, the Cultural and Recreational Indo-Portuguese Association, the Casa de Goa and Surya, the Goan Cultural and Ecological Movement. After last year's success where the 3-day celebrations gathered almost one thousand participants, this year's programme offered a documentary on the 18th, a movie on the 19th and a "Goa, Daman and Diu Festival" on the 20th of September. More than a social gathering, these celebrations meant to offer Goans in Portugal the possibility of "rediscovering Goa" and discuss ways of "giving back to Goa". On the 18th some 80 people saw the documentary Bhaile by Ajay Noronha, at the auditorium of the National Ethnology Museum in Lisbon. The debate that followed focused on the issue of how the Goan community may contribute to solve the problem of pedophilia in Goa, besides several other issues affecting Goa today in the areas of health care, environment and social development. Because Goans abroad normally prefer to socialize and have a comfortable community life, these issues tend do be ignored by them, even though they could play an active role in solving them. The lively debate discussed several forms of actions the Goan diaspora could take, for example a more regular international cooperation and contact between Goan associations and a more institutionalized setup to take measures and offer a substantial contribution. Besides a financial help the Goan community is ready to give, there should also be a constant preoccupation with Goa's day-to-day issues, and a constant awareness of its major problems. Others reminded the vital role of Goan non-governmental organizations in Goa and abroad and their capacity in building-up a strong grass-root democracy. On the 19th it was the classic Goan movie Amchem Nochib that was screened. More than a hundred people met to discover some of the greatest Goan tiatr-actors and saw the images of Goa in the sixties. While for most part of the audience it was an opportunity to remember old times, the younger ones enjoyed the music and comedy while discovering the Goa their parents or grandparents lived in. The big day was on Saturday, the 20th of September. More than 300 people gathered to participate at the Goa, Daman and Diu Festival at the Casa de Goa premises in Lisbon. A group of young Goans and Damanese took the initiative of organizing the whole event, which included a continuous slide session on Goa, Daman and Diu, a photography, painting and poetry exhibition by the youth ("A young look over Goa, Daman and Diu"), a typical Goan tea with samosas, bojas, bebinka, Indian tea and feni, a carrom tournament, the screening of a television documentary on how Goan traditions are today spread around the world and an interactive computer game where you could test your knowledge on Goa's history. The end of the afternoon brought the highlight of the Festival: the group Surya made a marvelous presentation on Goan music and dances, and at the end the audience invaded the stage to learn how to dance the goan mando. To close this Dia de Goa, Damao e Diu and the World Goa Day celebrations in Portugal the Goan restaurant Xanti opened its doors for a closing dinner where directors and members of all five organizing associations here in Portugal and the coordinator gathered to discuss on "how to give back to Goa". There were also present several guests of honour, such as the Mayor of Coimbra, the third largest portuguese city that is now in the process of geminating with Daman, and one of the administrators of the Fundacao Oriente, which has a delegation in India and has served as an important link between Portugal and Goa. Besides being announced in several international media (RTP International etc.) this World Goa Day was once again held with success in Portugal due to three major reasons. First of all, the Goan community was able to forget differences and disputes and strengthen its ties. Secondly, Portugal had once again the opportunity to get to know better contemporary Goa and its rich cultural identity. And, most important of all, the younger generation of Goans has taken over the responsibility of keeping alive its valious heritage in Portugal while expressing also its concern in helping and contributing for a better Goa. The "Goa, Daman and Diu Day" secretariat and the Organizing Committee established by Constantino Xavier can be contacted at the e-mail address [EMAIL PROTECTED] or a visit made to www.supergoa.com 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 posted by rene barreto on behalf of WORLD GOA DAY WWW.GOADAY.COM 00000000000000000000000000 ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
