Remarks by Ambassador Sibi George
atInauguration of Festival of India in Fribourg, October 7, 2018
Excellencies, Friends of India, Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Let me begin by welcoming your Excellencies and Friends of India to this evening.
This is first time that Embassy of India is organizing a Festival of India evening in Fribourg. There is a reason we chose Fribourg as the venue for Festival of India. The people of Fribourg have traditionally been singers and musicians, which is home to Landwehr Musical band.
I thank Deputy Mayor of Fribourg and Member of Parliament HE Madam Antoinette de Weck for being with us.
I am happy to note that the Landwehr which is the official music of the canton and city of Fribourg is to start a ten day long visit to India starting next week. They will perform in Delhi, Jaipur, Agra and Mumbai.
Yesterday President of Canton of Fribourg HE Georges Godeland State Chancellor HE Danielle Gagnaux-Morel were with us in Berne to be part of the Festival. He is also scheduled to visit to India next week.
I acknowledge the presence of Mr. Alain Deschenaux, President of the Landwehr here with us. I wish him and the Landwehr team a very successful and memorable visit to India.
This festival of India is part of a yearlong celebrations that the Indian Embassy in Berne is organizing all across Switzerland as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the signing of Friendship Treaty between India and Switzerland signed in 1948. Through this festival our endeavour is to connect Himalayas with Alps; India with Switzerland. We have a variety of artists from India performing during September to December 2018, to commemorate the 70th anniversary. Today we are in Fribourg. Here we try to showcase some of the traditional cultural diversity of India.
This year, we are also celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi this year.
In recent years, there has been a deeper engagement of India and Switzerland in recent years. As you are aware, Prime Minister Modi was in Switzerland in June 2016. Swiss President was in New Delhi on a State visit in August 2017 during which we issued a forward looking comprehensive Joint Statement which calls for a ‘long standing dynamic partnership’. In January 2018, Prime Minister Modi was in Switzerland to deliver the opening key-note address at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. And in August this year we had the Foreign Minister of Switzerland H.E. Dr. Ignazio Cassis visiting New Delhi and the historic city of Varanasi. We maintain regular engagement with the political leadership in Switzerland and its Cantons.
Equally important is our business engagement with Switzerland which is growing rapidly. Our bilateral trade today is nearly USD 20 billion. The engagement between Indian and Swiss companies are deepening. Same is the case with other areas such as culture, movies, yoga, Ayurveda, tourism, cuisine and people to people exchanges.
As you are aware the Embassy has set up an Indian Professionals Network (IPN) and Indian Cultural Network (ICN) which organize regular events.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that I see an India connect in every corner of Switzerland. Almost every museum in this country has some India connection. Every year several hundreds of thousands of Indians travel to Switzerland to appreciate the beautiful landscapes of Switzerland. Each year several thousands of Swiss nationals travel to India for tourism and business. Almost every city in Switzerland has an Indian restaurant. Fribourg has more than two I am told. In Switzerland almost every village has a group of citizens who believe in yoga and practice it every day. Indian film industry continues to look at Switzerland as a shooting destination. The list of engagement is long and growing.I urge you to keep in contact with us through social media including through our website, Facebook and twitter.
I once again welcome you to this festival. Have a good evening.
Thank you.
…………………….
