Faridabad, Feb 7 The 38th Surajkund International Crafts Mela was inaugurated on Friday with grandeur at Surajkund in Haryana's Faridabad district.
Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat graced the occasion as the chief guest and formally inaugurated the event.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Heritage and Tourism Minister Arvind Sharma, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Vipul Goel, Social Justice Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi, among others, attended the opening ceremony.
The Surajkund International Crafts Mela will be organised from February 7 to February 23, showcasing extraordinary art, craftsmanship, and talent from artisans and artists across India and the world.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Shekhawat said: “India is presently hosting two major events that are drawing global attention that is the Maha Kumbh Mela and the Surajkund International Crafts Mela, which showcases India's unity, culture and artistic heritage”.
He emphasised that Surajkund Mela “is not just a marketplace for crafts but a significant platform for craftsmen and artisans to showcase their ancient skills”.
He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the vision of Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat that “we envision is being realized through this fair”.
Shekhawat said under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, “India has transformed in the past decade, transforming its old image of poverty and underdevelopment".
With the successful implementation of various welfare schemes at the grassroots, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought 25 crore people out of below poverty line. Today, India is the world’s fastest-growing economy, he said.
The Union Minister further said the cultural and creative economy are now formally recognised worldwide as the ‘Orange Economy’.
He believes that the Surajkund Mela will help Indian craftsmen find new opportunities in both domestic and international markets.
The Union Minister said Haryana has advantage due to its proximity to Delhi and has its potential to become a hub for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism. He said the state should explore this opportunity to the fullest.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Saini said Surajkund and the ongoing International Crafts Mela have become a unique symbol of not just Haryana but the entire nation.
The mela exemplifies the ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and provides a platform to showcase Indian crafts and culture to the world.
The Chief Minister said earlier the mela featured one theme state and one partner country. However, for the first time, two states, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, have been designated as theme states to give the fair a ‘Crafts Maha Kumbh’ identity.
Additionally, the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries have been included as partner nations.
These countries include India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, all of which share cultural similarities.
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