BHUBANESWAR: Leaders and delegates from 16 countries including ASEAN and Indo-Pacific countries and representatives from north-eastern and eastern states will deliberate and discuss on commerce, culture and connectivity at 'Purbasa: East meets east', an international conference to be held here on March 16-18. During the three-day event, discussions on improving ties between the eastern countries with eastern states of India will be held.
The
Kalinga International Foundation (KIF), an independent think-tank will host this international conference.
“Diplomats including defence personnel, ministers, scholars, researchers, academia and artists from Indo-Pacific region will discuss reviving the ties and strengthening the relationships. There are many areas on which we can collaborate with these countries including tourism, art and culture, commerce, food and so on. This is a platform to explore possibilities,” said Lalit Mansingh, chairman of the foundation and former ambassador of India.
Gamini Jayawicrama Perera, Minister of Buddha Sasana, Sri Lanka and AKM Shahjahan Kamal, Minister of
Civil Aviation and Tourism, Bangladesh would attend the conference. Besides, the Kalinga Saraswati Samman will be conferred on to V Suryanarayan for his book on Indonesia and Sudip Sen for his book on Bali.
A major highlight of the conference will be a session on bilateral where ambassadors of different countries including Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philipines and
Myanmar and deputy commissioner of Australia and minister economics of the Embassy of
Japan will speak.
“From Odisha’s powerful Kalinga Empire to the Act East policy, India’s vision has continually expanded. This conference will provide a new significance to Odisha’s annual festival of Balijatra or voyage to Bali,” said Mansingh.
