Global Goans UAE honors Armando Gonsalves for preserving and promoting
Konkani culture
Global Goans UAE, member of WAGOA - a worldwide forum of the expatriate
Indian community from India’s western state, Goa, honored Armando
Gonsalves, Founder and CEO, Trancemedia, at a ceremony held at the Hotel
Rio in Dubai, earlier this week. Armando was given a commemorative
plaque honoring his contributions to Goa through Konkani culture and
heritage and charitable initiatives such as conducting music workshops
through world renowned music artists, for underprivileged children and
various initiatives aimed at promoting peace and harmony.
Trancemedia, a hobby company of Armando, owns three brands- Heritage
Jazz (www.heritagejazz.com ), which brings internationally acclaimed
jazz maestros to perform in Goa, Konkani Rocks (www.konkanirocks.com) -
a homegrown initiative that aims at preserving, promoting and cherishing
everything Goan and, GoaForGiving, the charity wing, under which the
company conducts various activities for the economically weaker segments
of the community. The award coincide with the first anniversary of
founding Konkani Rocks, which was established on December 3, 2009, at a
mega concert in Goa Velha. This concert saw Saskia Laroo and quintet of
the Netherlands perform traditional Goan tunes at the show. This was the
first time any western musician had played ethnic Goan tunes.
The award was given away to Armando by Benedict Lobo, a prominent member
of the expatriate Goan community in the UAE. Lobo, a resident of the UAE
since over 15 years, was pivotal in launching RadioGoa, an online radio
station that broadcasts Konkani music via the Internet across the globe.
“Dubai Goans are indeed honored to felicitate Armando Gonsalves for the
immense contributions he has made to both, Goa and the Konkani language.
His efforts have led to a broad realization about the richness of Goan
culture and heritage worldwide and especially to Non Resident Indians,
who are somewhat alienated from their native culture due to our work and
life abroad. Armando Gonsalves is a man of many talents. His work for
the community through the fusion of music and heritage has inspired many
of us in the Goan diaspora and its indeed a previlage for us UAE Goans
to honour the man today",” Lobo said, in his speech on the occasion.
Dubai is home to tens of thousands of Goans working in various sectors
of the UAE’s economy. Their contributions are well recognized by both,
the UAE’s public and private sector. WAGOA is a worldwide forum of Goans
working and living in various parts of the world.
In his award acceptance speech, Armando said: “ I am truly touched by
the outpouring of love and emotions by Goans in the UAE. It is truly
appreciable, Dubai Goans have taken the lead in reaching out to their
compatriots back home by honoring them. This award from Dubai Goans is a
landmark for my company and we will exert extra efforts to further
promote Goan culture and lifestyle while highlighting the truly
charitable character of Goans.”
The awards ceremony, which included a dinner and live entertainment by
Dubai based Goan talent, Sanio Fernandes, was also attended by Dubai
based Goan entrepreneur, Jude Pereira, Arwin Misquita,Nery Botelho,
Christopher Gonsalves and Ralph Fernandes, among prominent personalities.
Armando has won several accolades at both, the state and national
levels. He is the second Goan personality to have won the prestigious
Karmaveer Puraskaar from the Indian Confederation of NGOs (iCONGO) under
the ‘Peace and Harmony’ category for the year 2009-2010. This year,
Armando had successfully nominated three prominent music personalities,
Anthony Gonsalves, the highly acclaimed and pioneering music composer
who introduced fusion of Western and Hindi music, and, the use of
orchestration, to Bollywood movies. The other two winners were Saskia
Laroo, the noted Dutch Jazz maestro who performed in Goa last month and,
Lorna Cordeiro, (aka Lorna), known also as Goa’s Nightingale.
In addition, Trancemedia has organized the 1st Heritage Jazz Awards,
also a purely Goan initiative aimed at honoring unsung heroes who have
made significant contributions in the fields of preserving and promoting
Goan heritage, music, culture and performing arts. Further details about
this event will be announced through the press shortly.
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