[Goanet] Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 8th January Diaspora Convention to be held in Chennai

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Prime Minister to open Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 8th January Diaspora 
Convention to be held in Chennai 




12:11 IST 



The 7th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention will be held at the Chennai 
Trade Centre, Chennai on 07-09 January 2009. It will be inaugurated by the 
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on 8th January. The President Smt. Pratibha 
Devisingh Patil will deliver the valedictory address on the 9th. She will also 
confer Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards for 2009. The Convention is being 
organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in partnership with the 
Government of Tamil Nadu. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) would be the 
institutional partner. Chennai is hosting the Convention for the first time. 
The last PBD was held in New Delhi. 

The 7th PBD will focus on issues relating to the role of Overseas Indians in 
India's emergence as a global power. Topics for discussion include "Indian 
Diaspora: Preservation of Language and Culture", "Health Concerns of Indian 
Diaspora", "Role of Diaspora Youth in the 21st Century India", and "India As An 
Emerging Power: The Diaspora Factor". There will be regional working sessions 
on Diaspora in the Gulf, Asia-Pacific, Africa, USA, Europe, Caribbean and 
Canada. Another unique feature of the event is the Building-the-Bridges 
sessions on 'Trade & Industry', 'Culture & Entertainment', 'Education' and 
'Philanthropy'. There will also be sessions with state governments on "Need for 
having a response mechanism for the Indian Diaspora". 

A special Trade and Industry Exhibition with participation from Corporate, 
Financial Institutions, State Governments, NGOs and others will form part of 
the event. The Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) will set up a Market 
Place at the venue to facilitate business and investment. Arrangements have 
been made to take delegates on tour to Tirupati, Puducherry, Mamallapuram 
(Mahabalipuram) and other places 

PBD Conventions provide a platform for exchange of views and networking to the 
Persons of Indian Origin on matters of common interest. These Conventions 
enable the Government of India to better understand the expectations of the 
Overseas Indians from the land of their ancestors and to acknowledge their role 
in India's all round development and its efforts to acquire its rightful place 
in the comity of nations. Formation of a separate Ministry of Overseas Indian 
Affairs in 2004 is a testimony to the importance attached by the Government 
towards the well-being of the Persons of Indian Origin and their close affinity 
with India. 

Decisions taken by the Government of India as a result of wider consultations 
held at such Conventions include formulation of the Overseas Citizenship of 
India Scheme, establishment of Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre, 
conceptualisation of a PIO University, formation of Prime Minister's Global 
Advisory Council of People of Indian Origin, and setting up of an India 
Development Foundation. Programmes e.g. Know India Programme and Scholarship 
Programme for Diaspora Children are designed specifically for Diaspora youth. 

PBD Chennai is expected to carry forward the constructive engagement with the 
Diaspora with renewed vigour. A website www.pbdindia.org is being launched on 
21st of this month, which would provide further details and open the 
registration for the Convention. 

Akshay rout/vk 
 
- Forwarded by gaspar.almeida, www.goa-world.com