GOANS IN BELGIUM GET TOGETHER
By Amilcar da Costa
Photos: http://bit.ly/EFBrussels2010
At the initiative of Dr. Eduardo Faleiro, Commissioner for NRI and
former Minister of External Affairs, who was participating at the
India-EU Forum on Effective Multilateralism in Brussels on the 11th and
12th October 2010, Goans living in Belgium had the opportunity to meet
in Brussels for the first time on the 13th October 2010.
His Excellency, the Indian Ambassador to Belgium, Dr. Jaimini Bhagwati,
at the request of Dr. Faleiro, agreed to host this first meeting at the
Indian Embassy in Brussels.
Mr. Santosh Jha, Counsellor (Political), Mr. Somnath Ghosh, Counsellor
(European Parliament), and Mr. Gaurav Ahluwalia, Second Secretary
(Information, Culture & Consular), from the Indian Embassy, also
participated at the meeting.
Most of the Goans living in Belgium work either for the EU Commission,
EU Council, the EU Parliament or for organizations closely linked to the
EU institutions.
Dr. Faleiro opened the meeting, introduced himself and explained that
his idea to meet the Goans living in Belgium was mainly to identify
their problems and difficulties and to find ways to improve the situation.
He informed of the various meetings that were being organized with Goans
around the world, including the annual Global Goans Convention, which
this year will be held in Kuwait on November 16 and 17.
He further explained that to reconnect the second and third generation
Goans abroad with their roots, the State Government has launched a
programme called "Know Goa". Under this programme 15 youngsters (in the
age group of 18 to 26) who have distinguished themselves academically or
professionally, would be invited to visit Goa for 15 days as guests of
the state. The third edition of the "Know Goa" programme will be held
from November 28 to December 12, 2010.
Interested in knowing their activities in Belgium, Dr. Faleiro requested
the individual participants to present themselves and to raise any
issues that they felt needed clarifications.
The Goans explained that holding foreign passports they were given
tourist visas, when they visited their families in Goa and India and
were asked to leave the country as soon as the rather short period of
the tourist visa expired.
Dr. Faleiro clarified that Goans and other persons of Indian origin
holding foreign passports will henceforth be issued only long term
“extandable” visas and not tourist visas.
Responding to a question concerning the recovery of heritage property in
Goa by a Goan holding a foreign nationality, he clarified that this was
possible as soon as the Goan holding the foreign nationality would be
registered as a “Person of Indian Origin” (PIO).
Addressing the participants, His Excellency the Ambassador, Dr. Jaimini
Bhagwati, stated that he was happy to meet the Goans living in Belgium
and ensured that the Embassy would do its best to help them when
required. He also ensured that the Goans would in future be invited to
the various events, including the Independence Day celebrations,
organized by the Embassy.
At the end of the meeting, the Goan participants agreed that this first
meeting should encourage further meetings from time to time and to try
to contact other Goans that could not be reached this time.
A large number of Goans live in the neighboring EU Member States like
The Netherlands, France, Germany, Luxembourg and of course in Portugal.
The Goans believe that this first meeting of Goans in Belgium could be
extended to the other countries in the EU and to host a future Global
Goans Convention in Brussels.
The following Goans participated at the meeting:
Ms Sonia Colaço, Ms Cristina Fonseca, Mrs Maria Vieira de Sousa, Mr.
Amilcar da costa, Ms Louisa da Costa, Ms Vera da Costa, Dr. Sandhya
D'Souza, Mr. Sanjeev D'Souza, Mr. Roque Barbosa, Mrs. Amelia Monteiro
Kassam, Mr. Esmail Kassam, Mr. Aarun Monteiro Kassam, Mr. Paulo
Alexandre Esse, Mr. Bonacho Fernandes, Mrs Sushila Braun, Mr. Michael
Braun, Ms Emilie Braun, Ms Jenefer Fernandes, Mr. Joaquim Clemente, Ms
Michelle Soares, Mr. Wendell Pinto.
Photos: http://bit.ly/EFBrussels2010
(ENDS)
SOURCE: Amilcar da Costa via Fernando do Rego
