Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit to India in late 2009 culminated in a decision to name 2011 as the “Year of India” in Canada, a bi-governmental initiative that has already seen considerable expenditure, planning and logistical effort taking place throughout last year.
The “Year of India” is significant as it symbolizes the growing importance of political and economic ties between both countries. The only comparable exercise was a Year of India in Russia that took place in 2008, and that was a far less extravagant affair than what will purportedly take place in the Great White North.
The celebrations officially kicked off on Jan. 24, with the establishment of an India chair at the recently formed Canada-India Centre for Excellence in Science, Technology, Trade and Policy at Carleton University.
Indian High Commissioner SM Gavai and Carleton President Roseann O’Reilly Runte inked an MOU, which is the latest initiative in a series of growing collaborative efforts between the two countries.
Mr. Gavai said the aim is to “showcase India’s rich art and culture, as well as its rapid rise as an economic power, thereby promoting closer people-to-people ties across a broad range of educational, business and other social sectors.”
The “Year of India” will see an incredible range of cultural, business and educational conferences and festivities take place across nine Canadian cities throughout 2011, including the cornerstone International Indian Film Academy awards (the Indian version of the Oscars) that will be held in Toronto in June. This will mark the first time the ceremony, which has travelled all around the world, will arrive in North America.