Ibonio's address at the seminar at Xt. Xavier's College, Mapusa, on 21-9-2011

MARGAO, 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2011

WELCOME ADDRESS AT ONE-DAY SEMINAR “GOAN HERITAGE” ON 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2011 AT ST XAVIER’S COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCE AND COMMERCE, MAPUSA, ORGANISED BY GOA SUDHAROP IN ASSOCIATION WITH C.E.S. COLLEGE.
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GOOD MORNING!

HONOURABLE PRINCIPAL OF ST. XAVIER’S COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCE AND COMMERCE, MAPUSA, DR. (FR.) WALTER DE SA, N.S.S. CO-ORDINATOR OF THE SEMINAR,  ANA SOUSA, PROF.  PRAJAL SHAKARDANDE, RESOURCE PERSON, DR. BERNADETTE GOMES, COLLEGE STAFF MEMBERS, STUDENTS, AND GUESTS.

ON BEHALF OF GOA SUDHAROP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INC. U.S.A AND ST. X AVIER’S COLLEGE OF ARTS AND COMMERCE, I EXTEND TO YOU ALL A CORDIAL WELCOME TO THIS SEMINAR “GOAN HERITAGE”, JOINTLY ORGANISED BY GOA SUDHAROP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INC. U.S.A. AND ST. XAVIER’S COLLEGE.

GOA SUDHAROP , AS SOME OF YOU MAY BE AWARE, IS A GOAN DIASPORA, VOLUNTEER, NON-PROFIT NGO, REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. AND IS WORKING FOR BETTERMENT OF GOA AND GOANS WORLDWIDE, FOR OVER A DECADE, HUMBLY CONTRIBUTING IN ALL AREAS OF GOA’S DEVELOPMENT, THROUG ITS ANNUAL THEME-BASED AWARENESS AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES AND OTHER PHILANTROPHIC ACTIVITIES. THIS YEAR, GOA SUDHAROP OBSERVES 2011 AS YEAR OF GOAN HERITAGE, AND THIS SEMINAR “GOAN HERITAGE” IS ONE OF SUCH SEVERAL SEMINARS PLANNED FOR THE YEAR, ALONGSIDE OTHER ALLIED PROGRAMMES TO PROMOTE GOAN HERITAGE.

SINCE ITS INCEPTION, GOA SUDHAROP HAS PARTNERED WITH VARIOUS NGOs IN GOA, SUCH AS, GOA DESC, GREEN CROSS, NISARGA NATURE CLUB, BAILANCHO SAD, GOA FOUNDATION, PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT FOR CIVIC ACTION, COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND PEACE, GOA BACHAO ABHIAN, CENTER FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ, GOA, ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, GOA, VARIOUS COLLEGES ALL OVER GOA FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES,
AS ALSO WITH SEVERAL SOCIAL WELFARE INSTITUTIONS IN GOA, AND OTHER GROUPS WORKING AT GOA’S GRASSROOTS LEVEL. THIS PREMIER GOAN DIASPORA ORGANISATION PROVIDES THE VEHICLE THAT ENABLES ALL GOAS – RESIDENTS AND NON-RESIDENTS TO GIVE BACK TO GOA IN THE FORM OF TIME, MONEY AND SKILLS.

BESIDES ORGANISATION-BASED PROJECTS, GOA SUDHAROP SUPPORTS AND FUNDS INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DONE OUTSTANDING WORK IN GOA, THROUGH THE ANNUAL GOA SUDHAROP FELLOWSHIP AWARDS INSTITUTED FROM THE YEAR 2000. THESE FELLOWSHIPS NOT ONLY REFLECT GOA SUDHAROP’S CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO CERTAIN KEY ISSUES LIKE CHILDREN’S AND WOEMEN’S RIGHTS, CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO ALLOWS GOA SUDHAROP TO BUILD LIVING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS IN GOA, ALL WORKING WITH A COMMON MISSION – THE BETTERMENT OF GOA AND GOANS WORLWIDE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, KINDLY VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW GOASUDHAROP.ORG.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS SEMINAR ON THE THEME “GOAN HERITAGE” IS TO PROVIDE THE STUDENTS COMMUNITY PARTICULARLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE UNIQUENESS OF OUR RICH GOAN CULTURAL, TRADITIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE. RESOURCE PERSONS FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS WILL PROVIDE INTERESTING INSIGHTS INTO DIFFERENT FACETS AND ASPECTS OF OUR HERITAGE. OUR STUDENTS ARE THE FUTURE GUARDIANS OF GOAN HERITAGE, AND SUCH SEMINARS, WE BELIEVE, WILL HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED TO VALUE OUR HERITAGE AND HOW, PRESERVING IT, WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT OUR FUTURE AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COMMUNITY. THE FEED BACK SESSIONS WILL GIVE THE YOUNG MINDS THE CHANCE OF A DYNAMIC DIALOGUE AND BRAINSTORMING FOR IDEAS ON HOW BEST WE CAN PROTECT OUR NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE.

FRIENDS, YOU WILL AGREE THAT KNOWLEDGE OF HERITAGE HELPS US TO DISCOVER WHO AND WHY WE ARE – OUR IDENTITY.  OUR HERITAGE IS OUR LINK TO THE PAST. HERITAGE IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY ONE SHOULD VALUE AND SEE AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OURSELVES. IT IS NOT JUST MAN MADE THINGS THAT ARE PART OF OUR HERITAGE LIKE CULTURE, TRADITIONS OR LIFE STYLES, LANGUAGE, FOOD, ARTS AND CRAFTS, MUSIC, FOLK SONGS AND DANCES, ETC. BUT ALL OTHER ELEMENTS LIKE THE UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT, BIODIVERSITY, ECOLOGY, AND NATURAL LANDSCAPE THAT WE HAVE INHERITED. EVERY COUNTRY OR REGION HAS ITS HERITAGE. ALL THESE AMAZING MEMORIES AND TREASURES NEED TO BE PROTECTED. THEY NEED TO BE PRESERVED AND KEPT SAFE SO THAT FUTURE GENERATION CAN ALSO SEE AND ENJOY THEM, AS ALSO KNOW WHERE THEY CAME FROM.  THE ATTITUDE OF SOME OF US IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST DOES NOT AFFECT US AT ALL AS WE ARE LIVING IN THE PRESENT. BUT RATHER, CONTRARY TO THIS, IS THAT THE PAST IS THE VERY REASON THAT WE ARE HERE IN THE PRESENT. THERE IS EVEN THIS SAYING: “YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE PAST, TO UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT”. AND, WHAT IS MORE , THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF OUR HERITAGE THAT HAVE SO SUCCESSFULLY NURTURED, ENRICHED, AND KEPT US TOGETHER AS A PEACEFULL AND CONTENDED SOCIETY IN THE PAST, NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED, AND VALUED.  ALSO, GIVEN THE INCREASING CHALLENGES OF MODERN LIFE, WE NEEED TO BUILD ON THOSE KEY ELEMENTS OR VALUES, A TRULY SECURE AND HAPPY FUTURE FOR US AS WELL AS FOR OUR GENERATIONS TO COME.

GOA SUDHAROP HIGHLY VALUES AND APPRECIATES ITS HAPPY ASSOCIATION WITH ST. XAVIER’S COLLEGE OF ARTS AND COMMERCE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REPUTED GOAN COLLEGES WITH EXCELLENT TRACK-RECORD. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE KEEN AND PERSONAL INTEREST OF PRINCIPAL, DR. (FR) WALTER, THE SEMINAR CO-ORDINATOR, ANA SOUSA, AND THE SUPPORT OF THE COLLEGE STAFF AND STUDENTS, IN HELPING GOA SUDHAROP MAKE THIS ONE-DAY SEMINAR,  POSSIBLE.

I AM PLEASED TO SAY THAT OUR RESOURCE PERSONS COME WITH DEEP KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE SUBJECTS, AS ALSO WITH ENOUGH AND SUCCESSFUL VOLUNTEER SERVICE TO THEIR CREDIT. THEY WOULD BE ONLY TOO HAPPY TO ABLY TAKE YOU THROUGH THIS AMAZING JOURNEY OF OUR RICH AND PROUD HERITAGE AND CERTAINLY HEIGHTEN YOUR LOVE AND RESPECT FOR OUR GLORIOUS PAST, AS ALSO TO INSPIRE YOU TO GIVE YOUR INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE BEST TO ITS PRESERVATION AND ENRICHMENT.

WE GREATLY APPRECIATE, AND THANK ALL OUR RESOURCE PERSONS FOR THEIR READY RESPONSE TO OUR INVITATION, AND HELPING US MAKE THIS PROGRAMME A REAL LABOUR OF LOVE FOR OUR YOUTH. AND, I MUST MAKE HERE A SPECIAL MENTION OF THE PAINSTAKING EFFORTS AND GREAT INTEREST SHOWN BY MY HISTORIAN AND HERITAGE ACTIVIST FRIEND; PROF. PRAJAL SHAKARDANDE, IN HELPING US PLAN THIS SEMINAR TOGETHER. MY GRATEFUL THANKS ARE ALSO TO GOA SUDHAROP’S TRUSTEE, MS. VALERIE RODRIGUES FOR HER CONSTANT AND VALUABLE SUPPORT TO OUR VARIOUS PROGRAMMES YEAR AFTER YEAR.

MY SPECIAL COMPLIMENTS TO YOU, DEAR STUDENTS, FOR HAVING CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SEMINAR SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND YOUR GLORIOUS PAST, AND YOUR GOAN IDENTITY. I WISH YOU A REAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND ABIDING MOTIVATION TO DO YOUR BEST FOR OUR UNIQUE HERITAGE.

IBONIO M.B. D’SOUZA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (GOA), GOA SUDHAROP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INC. U.S.A. – CELL: 9850454371; e-mail: iboniosouza@gmail.com