We are currently commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Indo-Japan Cultural Exchange Agreement. In December last year the Prime Ministers of India and Japan jointly inaugurated the Festival of India in Japan which is being organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Now the Japan Year in India is being inaugurated and on this occasion I send H.E. the Ambassador and all others connected with this function my warm greetings. The Friendship Year between our two countries, India and Japan, heralds the beginning of the closer relationship not only in the political and the economic arenas but also at the level of people to people exchanges. This is a fundamental step in promoting mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s cultures and civilizations.
The Friendship Year will help to project to our peoples a comprehensive picture of our heritages as well as our contemporary scenarios. Both Japan and India are major civilization that has contributed to other Asian cultures as well. We hope that the programmes planned will help to convey a picture of two dynamic and friendly countries which are fast growing economies as well as knowledge and cultural hubs, and which have emerged as pillars of strength in Asia as well as the rest of the World. The ties of friendship that India and Japan share are deep and have historical roots. Truly, the celebrations of a Friendship Year are a modern and much required extension of our civilization heritage. I wish our Friendship Year 2007, our two nations, and our peoples, all success.
Dr. Karan Singh
President
Indian Council for Cultural Relations |
|
