Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr has applauded the achievements of the Indian community, describing his own experience as ‘excellent.’
Speaking at the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Australia India Council (AIC) held at R G Casey Building of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra on May 31, he said that Indians were also great conversationalists.
“I enjoy and appreciate the Indian accent,” he said in a lighter vein.
He recalled his experience in working with the Indian community whilst being the Premier of New South Wales (1995-2005). He took charge as Foreign Affairs Minister of the Federal Government in March this year.
India’s High Commissioner to Australia Biren Nanda, who assumed office recently, said that the 20th anniversary was an important landmark for the Council.
He said he was pleased that the Council has been actively engaged with Australian and Indian businesses in both countries in a number of areas, especially science and technology, education and medicine.
Active engagement
“The High Commission and the Indian Government will do its best to encourage the activities of the AIC and promote India-Australia relationship,” he said.
AIC was established in 1992 in response to a recommendation of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, following an inquiry into Australia’s relations with India.
The Council’s purpose is to broaden the relationship between Australia and India by encouraging and supporting contacts and increasing levels of knowledge and understanding between the residents and institutions of the two countries.
It promotes a range of activities designed to achieve greater awareness among businesses and people in both countries.
This objective is achieved through visits and exchanges between the two countries, development of institutional links and support of studies.
The Council also provides funding for projects that aim to contribute to the development of the relationship.
Priority Strategies
Some of the Council’s current priority strategies are to (a) encourage Australians to take greater interest in developments in India and broaden community knowledge and understanding of India in Australia (b) publicise important developments in the various areas of the relationship between the two countries (c) encourage young Australians to develop a life-long interest and involvement in Australia-India relations and (d) expand projects through corporate sponsorship or other partnership arrangements to establish new areas of contact between Australia and India.
As a part of its 20th Anniversary celebrations, the Australia India Council launched an exhibition in March 2012 at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. Incorporating ‘Kindness/Udarta Australia-India Cultural Exchange’ and a publication with a similar title, the exhibition moved to Canberra to mark the anniversary in Australia’s Federal Capital on May 31. The exhibition is now at the RMIT Gallery, Melbourne for public view until August.
Arveen Sharma is Senior Procurement/Contract Management Officer at the Treasury Directorate of the Federal Government of Australia based in Canberra. He was previously a Ministerial and Parliamentary Advisor in New South Wales. He is seen in the picture appearing here with Bob Carr at the Exhibition in Canberra on May 31, 2012.
