The Big Goan - Goa Holiday Blog

Hundreds of Goans therefore braved the distances to turn out at the convention and hear the speeches from various dignitaries which included the commissioner for NRI affairs Eduardo Faleiro who was the Goa government representative, The Labour MP ( Walsall South) Ms Valerie Vaz and the Indian High commission's consular affairs minister Mr Amitabh Mathur amongst others.

Earlier Rabi Martins from Watford Borough Council (UK) and Arjan Vekaria President of the Hindu Forum Britain, inaugurated the convention by lighting the traditional lamp accompanied by a special invocation song composed by members of the Goan cultural society UK.

Mr Mathur highlighted his happiness at being part of the convention in the UK and said that the Indian high commission was keen that Goans should contribute to society and enrich culture and heritage of the land. He said that the changing face of Goa has had an impact on the UK people. NRI commissioner Mr Eduardo Faleiro gave a clarion call to Goan expatriates all over the world to reunite themselves and echoed Mathurs sentiments egging on the congregation to assert Goan solidarity and let members form associations all over the world cheer on their motherland.

Mr Faleiro said that his office is always ready and willing to solve the problems and grievances of Goan expatriates and also outlined some of the schemes that the Goa government has initiated for the benefit of Goans especially the " know Goa" programme for children of expatriate Goans who are unaware of the progress made by India since its independence and since the Liberation of Goa.

British MP Valerie Vaz said that Goans are a strong force seen worldwide and urged Goans to play their role in making Goa a bigger part of the world stage in the future.

Post lunch, the convention focus shifted on the impending golden jubilee of Goa's liberation which begins in the month of December. Dr Damodar Sardessai professor Emeritus department of history university of California praised Goans as being " eminently intelligent" throughout known history and still showing promise in the modern age of today.

Dr Teotonio R de Souza professor of History, University Lusofona de Humanidades e Technologias in Lisbon Portugal said that Goa should remember its many liberations with people from different countries making the state their homeland over the last 50 years - a habit that has been commonplace since medieval Goa.

He also urged Goans to remain true to their identity with special focus of the language of Our ancestors - Konkani and all that which is associated with it like the food and culture of Goa. Dr Stella Mascarenhas- keyes, senior research officer in the UK government rounded off the day with a presentation, showcasing a study she has undertaken on the development and maintenance of the global Goan community.She enlightened the congregation about Goans who have proven themselves over the years and mused over whether future generations will look to migrate overseas in the same way as so many Goans have done till date.

Vakaria who migrated from Uganda to the UK gave an example of how the Gujarati community sought to preserve the Gujarati language and appealed to expatriate Goans to emulate their example by starting classes in the konkani language in the United Kingdom in a bid to preserve the Goan culture and identity. The function was compered By Mr Ravi Vaz vice President of the association (UK)

The celebration for the day was complete after a cultural programme of traditional Goan folk art and music by "Mandd Sammel" a group from Canacona.