CELEBRATION OF THE 73RD INDEPENDENCE DAY OF INDIA
IN PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
15 AUGUST 2019
The 73rd Independence Day of India was celebrated on 15 August 2019 at India House in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) with great fervour and enthusiasm. The Tricolour was unfurled at 0800 hours (PNG Standard Time), immediately followed by the National Anthem, in the presence of more than 150 members of the Indian Diaspora and friends of India, including school students.
A video recording of the message of the Hon’ble President of India, telecast to the Nation on the eve of the Independence Day of India, was shown to the guests.
It was followed by High Commissioner Vijai Kumar’s remarks, highlighting India’s social, economic and scientific achievements in the recent past; India-PNG bilateral relations, including India’s support to PNG in its human resource development and capacity building efforts, and humanitarian assistance that included the following – (a) setting up of the Mahatma Gandhi Centre of Excellence in Information Technology at the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby, (b) annual grant-in-aid of US $200,000 to PNG under India’s Regional Assistance to Pacific Island Countries, (c) humanitarian assistance of US $1 million extended to the PNG Government in July 2019 towards relief and restoration efforts for the earthquake that struck PNG in February 2018, (d) assistance of US $1 million being extended to the PNG Government for its relief and restoration efforts for the Ulawun volcano that struck PNG in June 2019; training of PNG officials under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC); ongoing progress on the EXIM Bank of India’s Line of Credit of US $100 million for Bayer-Madang and Hoskins-Kimbe road projects; and India’s offer to PNG for conducting Feasibility Studies, at Government of India’s cost, on varied projects, including hydro and solar electrification in PNG.
High Commissioner Vijai Kumar also briefed the guests about various events, organized and planned to be organized in PNG, to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
To add colour to the event, a cultural programme was organized, which included Indian music, songs and dances. The highlight of the cultural programme was the large participation of the PNG school students who effortlessly and marvellously sang Hindi songs and performed dances on Indian music.
All the performing participants were presented with appreciation certificates and gifts to commend their efforts and encourage them for the future.
The event concluded with Indian refreshments.
The entire programme was well received and appreciated by the guests.
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Port Moresby, 15 August 2019
