PBDCanada2011: Largest Convention in Toronto for Indian Diaspora in North America and Caribbean

As part of the Year of India in Canada celebrations, the Government of India and the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC are organizing a convention for the Indian Diaspora in North America and the Caribbean on June 9 and 10, 2011, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto.

‘The Convention is called the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Canada (PBDCanada2011) and its theme is Building Bridges: Positioning Strategies for the Indian Diaspora. “There are 27 million people of Indian origin in 191 countries around the world,” said Dr. A. Didar Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs at a press conference held at the Metro Convention Centre on March 24. “PBD is a movement to engage and connect with our Diaspora overseas. It is to build economic and cultural bridges between the diaspora and India, the Diaspora and Canada and connect the Diaspora to each other.”

More than 700 members of the Indian Diaspora in North America and the Caribbean are expected to participate in this convention. The Convention will provide ideas for policy formulation and developing an action plan for engaging the Indian Diaspora for building bridges between India and the countries of their residence.
 
“The India diaspora is an invaluable asset in our bilateral relations. PBD Canada 2011 will be one of the major highlights of the celebration of the Year of India in Canada; it is intended to acknowledge and recognize the achievements of the Indo-Canadian community and celebrate their myriad contributions in bringing India and Canada closer together,” said Indian Consul
General Preeti Saran. 

More than 80 speakers and panelists who are eminent experts in the spheres of public policy and affairs, corporate and business, medicine and healthcare, arts and culture, science and technology, youth and gender will be participating in the two-day convention. 

“The convention’s main objectives are to devise ways and means for the members of this vast and growing Diaspora to create a more India-engaged region by working with partners from business and civil society in these countries,” says ,” said Vinay Nagpal, president of the ICCC.

“The two-day convention will have ten interactive sessions divided into three plenary sessions and five concurrent sessions. It will also have an inaugural session on Thursday, June 9, 2011 and a concluding session on Friday, June 10, 2011,” says Asha Luthra, Convener of PBDCanada2011 and immediate past president of the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), that is spearheading the convention on behalf of the Ministry of Indian Overseas Affairs (MOIA).