LG Mishra, First Lady attend inaugural session of Y20 Pre-Summit in Leh
Leh: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) and First Lady, Neelam Mishra attended the inaugural session of the Youth-20 Pre-Summit being held under the aegis of G20 Summit India, at the Sindhu Sankriti Kendra Thursday.
The LG welcomed the delegates as the eldest member of the Ladakhi family and on behalf of the people of Ladakh. Stating that our youth are intelligent, committed, focused and aware of their goals, he stated that the young delegates are the future leaders of their respective countries due to their potential.
Highlighting the importance of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ or ‘A guest is akin to God’, he stated that it is due to the vision and magnanimity of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, that a global event such as the Y-20 Pre-Summit has been possible in a region such as Leh.
He also stated that ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘The world is one family’ is the propelling force for the cooperation and integration of the whole of mankind.
The LG stated that the Pre-Summit is an opportunity to meet delegates from different nations and learn about their place, culture, social values and traditions. He also stated that their visit is welcome and beneficial for India in terms of social interaction, economic activities and other factors.
The LG informed about various aspects of Ladakh through a detailed presentation since the delegates could not visit every place in Ladakh due to time constraints. He spoke about the rich and diverse culture, heritage and occupations of the people of Ladakh.
He also spoke about the various handicraft, handloom and processed food products; the Geographical Indication (GI) tagging for pashmina wool, woodcarving and Raktsey Karpo apricot; its nutrient-rich sea buckthorn, the talented ice hockey and polo players from Ladakh along with the promotion of Winter Sports; the various initiatives taken to help Ladakh achieve the target of carbon neutrality; Mission Organic Development Initiative (MODI) to promote organic farming; making drinking water accessible to people even in sub-zero temperatures under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM); boosting rural economy through homestays and promotion of Astro-tourism through India’s first Dark Sky Reserve at Hanley, etc. LG wished a glorious future for the delegates from the G20 nations.
The LG felicitated the heads of G20 delegates along with guests from other countries and international organisations on the occasion. He also presented awards to the winners of the Sustainable Campus Challenge 2023 organised by the Department of Higher Education, Ladakh.
Delegates from Singapore presented a souvenir to HLG.
Earlier, Chair, Y20 Secretariat, Anmol Sovit and Joint Secretary, G20, Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur, presented their opening remarks about the Youth 20 Summit and G20 India Summit.
Convenor, Y20 India Secretariat, Ajay Kashyap, informed about the five identified themes of Y20, viz. Future of Work: Industry 4.0, Innovation & 21st Century Skills; Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a Way of Life; Peacebuilding and Reconciliation: Ushering in an Era of No War; Shared Future: Youth in Democracy and Governance; Health, Wellbeing & Sports: Agenda for Youth.
Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Government of India, Smt Meeta Rajivlochan welcomed the guests while Director, Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, GoI, Shri Pankaj Kumar Singh, gave the vote of thanks.
Delegates from G20 nations; Advisor, Umang Narula; Executive Councillors and Councillors from LAHDC Leh; elected representatives; Departmental Secretaries; officials from district administration, Ladakh Police, Government of India, International Organisations and other officials were present during the inaugural session of Y20 Pre-Summit.
