Jammu: “Literature, knowledge and critical thinking ensure that society does not become stagnant but progresses like a moving river,” Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said today as he delivered the keynote address at the Ghazipur Literature Festival, an official press release informed.
It said the festival, organised by Bharat Dialogues, brought together authors, scholars, artists and policymakers from the Indian diaspora in Mauritius, South Africa, Suriname, Fiji, Norway, and many other countries to celebrate shared heritage and ideas and identity. High Commissioner of South Africa in India, Prof Anil Sooklal and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Dr Sangeeta Balwant, were among the special invitees at the event.
In his address, the LG spoke on the contribution of the Indian Diaspora to humanity’s all-round evolution and global growth.
“With the hard work, integrity, dedication and following ancient values, the Indian Diaspora has gained global recognition and also helped in strengthening ties,” he said.
The LG called upon the writers and thinkers to act as a bridge between society and perspectives and ideas and strengthen the spirit of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”.
He highlighted that the writers and thinkers hold a unique position to influence society and have a great responsibility to strengthen social progress and unity by promoting values like equality, justice and fraternity. They must also use their creative power to drive social change and make the world more aware and sensitive to its duties, he further said.
“Literature, new ideas and perspectives give strength to society. Without good literature and new ideas, a society may physically exist but it will lack the intellectual and cultural tools for rapid growth and transformation of the nation.
“Literature, knowledge and critical thinking ensures that society should not become stagnant but it should be like a moving river,” the LG said.
The LG urged the writers, thinkers and citizens to focus on 10 resolutions to make India a strong and developed nation.
“We must work on preservation of knowledge and accurate history, propagation of moral values in society, promotion of social change, building bridges between diverse perspectives, promote critical thinking, inspire progress in the science and technology sector, strengthen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, inculcate a sense of pride among the people for shared heritage, empower youth with new ideas, focus on innovation, foster emotional unity, good governance and ‘Jan-Bhagidari’,” the LG said.
The LG also released a publication “Bhojpuri Kahavato ki Duniya” by Sanjeev Kumar Gupta.
