NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, and Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will inaugurate the 12th World Hindi Conference on February 15 in Fiji.
The conference, scheduled to be held at Nadi from February 15-17, will be on the theme "Hindi – Traditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence."
"The conference will be spread over one plenary session and ten parallel sessions on topics such as Hindi in Girmitiya countries, Hindi in Fiji and the Pacific, Information Technology and Hindi in the 21st century, Media and the global perception of Hindi, global reference of Indian knowledge traditions and Hindi, Linguistic coordination and Hindi translation," said Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East) Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Parallel sessions will be held on different forms of Hindi cinema and the global scenario, global market and Hindi, Pravasi Hindi literature in the changing scenario, and Hindi teaching in India and abroad, challenges and solutions will also be held.
MEA earmarks Rs 12 crore annually for propagating the use of Hindi. India has been working on introducing Hindi as an official language in the United Nations for some time now.
"What we have managed is getting UN press releases issued in Hindi, Bangla and Urdu," Kumar added.
This will be Dr Jaishankars first visit to Fiji since the formation of the new government. Just a few days back, Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister, Biman Prasad, had visited Delhi for an official visit.
"India and Fiji have age-old cultural and historical ties so holding the conference here was a good decision that was taken in Mauritius when the 11th conference concluded," Kumar added.
Hindi scholars from India and other countries will be awarded the "Vishwa Hindi Samman" for their exceptional contributions to the Hindi language during the conference.
A 270-person delegation of Hindi scholars and officials will attend the Fiji conference. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar said representatives from 50 countries are expected to participate.
Besides Jaishankar, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan and Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni will also address the event.
The Pacific island nation hosting the conference for the first time and is home to a large Indian diaspora. Over 37 per cent of the Pacific island country’s population is of Indian descent, with many speaking Hindi, one of Fiji’s three official languages, alongside English and Fijian.
The conference will feature exhibitions on the evolution of Hindi. Indian Council for Cultural Relations has also proposed cultural programmes and Kavi Sammelan. A comprehensive report summarising the discussions and recommendations from the conference will be issued.