The Surajkund international crafts fair at Faridabad will help India in further strengthening ties with many other countries, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya said on Saturday.
The governor made the remark while inaugurating the 15-day international fair which was organised after a hiatus of two years due to the Covid pandemic.
Welcoming tourists and participants to the fair from the country and abroad, he said, This year thousands of artists, craftsmen and weavers are participating in this fair, who will get a golden opportunity to display and sell their products.”
Lakhs of tourists are expected to visit this fair and India’s bilateral relations with other countries will be further strengthened through it, an official statement quoted Dattatraya as saying.
The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar and attended by Union Minister of State (Power and Heavy Industries) Krishan Pal, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan Dilshod Akhatov, Haryana Tourism Minister Kanwar Pal and Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma, among others, the release said.
Chief Minister Khattar said handicrafts and handlooms are part and parcel of global human civilization and culture.
“Craft and handloom fairs provide an opportunity to the craftsmen to exchange their artistic interest and art. The International Surajkund Handicrafts Mela has been providing an ideal platform to craftsmen, handloom artisans to showcase their talent for the last 35 years, he said.
Khattar said this year Jammu and Kashmir is the ‘Theme State’ of the 35th Surajkund International Crafts Mela and Uzbekistan is participating in it as the partner nation .
On one hand, we are celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate 75 years of Independence and are refreshing the memories of our immortal martyrs and freedom fighters who laid down their lives for ‘Maa Bharati’, on the other hand, this wind of spring is the inculcating patriotism among every countryman, he said
Khattar assured Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan Embassy Dilshod Akhatov of further strengthening of the bilateral ties between Haryana and Uzbekistan.
He said, Haryana believes in a heart to heart connect as we are not limited to business to business or government to government relationships, added Khattar.
Khattar said this fair also presents an excellent opportunity to witness the rich culture and the traditional art forms of Uzbekistan.
India and Uzbekistan share strong cultural and diplomatic ties, the official release said.
The Surajkund Crafts Mela began on Saturday after a two-year gap due to the pandemic.
Khattar said due to the global pandemic, there was a lot of nervousness about organising this fair.
But I appreciate the efforts of all the officers concerned for making arrangements to ensure to make this Mela a big success,” he said.
