Know Goa’ programme for youth of Goan origin HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, NOV 10 The NRI Commissioner’s office in Goa is for the very first time organising a ‘Know Goa’ programme for youth of Goan origin, who are not Indian nationals, so that these could establish links with the country of their ancestors. Addressing a press conference to announce the event, Commissioner for NRI Affairs Eduardo Faleiro said, “This progarmme from November 30 to December 14 would enable the visiting youth, aged between 18 and 26, to interact with the Chief Minister, Governor, academicians and religious leaders and visit places of historical and religious importance.” “These youth of Goan origin from Australia, Canada, Mozambique, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA are distinguished professionals or students, who have an abiding interest in India,” Faleiro mentioned. The youth will attend St Francis Xavier feast, visit Pilar Seminary, Mangueshi, Shantadurga and Chandreshwar temples and Safa masjid. Faleiro said the youth would also see several villages and learn the art of making handicrafts there and also witness a mock gram sabha. They would also make a visit to the South Goa Zilla Parishad office, he added. The youth would leave for Delhi after their Goa visit. The NRI Commissioner said in this regard he already had a word personally with Chief Minister Sheila Dixit. “Dixit told me she would like to meet the group in spite of her busy assembly elections schedule. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has agreed to assist the group during their stay in Delhi,” he stated. GLOBAL GOANS FORUM: Faleiro said his office was close to forming the Global Goans Forum. “A preliminary meeting on this subject was held last Friday at the Secretariat where representatives of the Goan community in Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi and Kenya participated.” “I have requested our ambassadors and high commissioners across the world to contact Goan organisations so that they may appoint their representatives here and we could finalise the plan of action towards constitution of the forum,” he stated. JAPAN GOANS: The NRI Commissioner is set to embark upon a trip to Japan on Wednesday where he would try to meet people of Goan origin. “I have written to our ambassador in Japan to identify Goan residents in Tokyo so that I may meet them but the Indian Embassy has not been able to contact any such persons so far,” he mentioned. Faleiro is leaving for Japan to attend the Asia Pacific Summit Conference to be held from next Wednesday. REPORT ON MIGRATION: Faleiro informed that the first report on the study into all aspects of migration, including replacement migration, among Goans, would be submitted by year-end. The report is being prepared by the Centre for Development Studies, Kerala, he stated. http://www.oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=12432&cid=26 VIVA GOA
