Hon’ble
Minister of Culture, Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria,
Madame Khalida Toumi, Excellencies,
Ambassadors, Hon’ble
Guests, Ladies
and Gentlemen
It is a great honour for me to present today a glimpse
of India’s vast cultural
heritage in the form of a cultural troupe from the State of Manipur,
the extreme north-east of India. It is a matter of great privilege for me to
present this cultural event to you all, and especially to my Algerian brothers
and sisters, since it is on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of
Independence of Algeria. We have just
celebrated the National Day of Algeria on 1st November, which in
1954 launched the freedom struggle against the colonial power. I am proud to present this event almost a
week after the celebration. This year,
we are also celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Establishment of
Diplomatic Relations between India
and Algeria, which were set
up within months of Algeria
attaining independence in July 1962. Our
First Ambassador to Algeria
joined his post in the month of November 1962.
It does not mean that India
and Algeria did not have
political relations before Algeria
attained independence. In fact, during
the first meeting of independence movements against colonial powers held in
Geneva in 1926, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who later became the first Prime
Minister of free India, met the Algerian nationalists especially Alhaj in
Geneva. We recognized Algeria as a nation for Bandung Conference in
1954 and the first Office of Algeria was opened in 1959 in New Delhi by Farhat Abbas. This indicates the depth of relationship
between the two countries, which matured through Non-Aligned Movement,
South-South Cooperation and support to other colonized countries and movements.
Culture is an important component of
our diplomacy and when I speak, an Algerian group is performing in New Delhi and other places in India. Under the celebration of 50th Year
of Independence, we have, in cooperation with the Algerian Ministry of Culture,
proposed to have at least four cultural troupes, who are going to perform at
various centres in Algeria. I would not stand more in between you and the
cultural performance, and I hope you will enjoy the event.
I thank Madame Khalida Toumi, Hon’ble Minister for
Culture for the kind presence here today and the cooperation which we receive
from her Ministry in bringing the two great peoples of India and Algeria together through cultural
events. May I now invite Hon’ble
Minister of Culture to light the Ceremonial Lamp, initiating the performance of
the Manipuri Troupe from India?
Thank you very much.
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