IGSG - Indo German Frienship Society, Goa

Former Goan expatriates from Germany: "key persons" in implementing cultural links

March 2008 - During the last months Dr. Aurobindo Xavier, President of the Indo German Friendship Society, Goa (IGSG), started contacts to civil society institutions as well as to political representatives in Goa in order to explain the aim of the society and the will and skills to promote and organize new initiatives on cultural level. This led to a series of talks with institutions and authorities in order to interact with each other for mutual benefit. As the result of these initiatives priorities have been established in implementing concrete cultural initiatives on the ground. The relevance of former Goan expatriates from Germany as “key persons” to the sucessful implementation of cultural activity in Goa was underlined in all the meetings. Goans with experience abroad have always been extremely efficient in implementing cultural links in Goa, was commented unanimously by the participants of the several meetings.

On 14th January Dr. Aurobindo Xavier was invited to Raj Bhavan by S C Jamir, Governor of the State of Goa, for a meeting of the Goa-Europe Cultural Bridge with Prof. Borges da Cunha from Portugal. Present to the meeting were also Digambar Kamat, Chief minister of Goa; Shri Ramakant Khalap, former Union law minister; and Shri Francisco Sardinha, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and president of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee.

During the meeting the Governor, in a short speech, stressed the relevance of the euro-indian cultural ties and this type of work in Goa on all aspects of presenting the culture of one country in the context of the other. The Governor exprimed his satisfaction for the hard work of former Goan expatriates in European countries now tightening in a very efficient way scientifical and cultural relationships between Goa and Europe.

Shri S C Jamir, Governor of the State of Goa, greeting Dr. Aurobindo Xavier, President of the Indo German Friendship Society, Goa (IGSG)

From left to right: Dr. Aurobindo Xavier, President of the Indo German Friendship Society, Goa (IGSG); Shri Ramakant Khalap, former Union law minister, Prof. Borges da Cunha; Shri S. C. Jamir, Governor of the State of Goa; Shri Digambar Kamat, Chief Minister of Goa; Shri Francisco Sardinha, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and president of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee; and Dr. José Souza.