The Indian Diaspora Council International (IDC) and its global membership convey heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the Indian Diaspora Council of Australia (IDCA) on its milestone 10th anniversary, building on the ideals and diasporic vision of its founder, Dr. Satish Rai.
IDC recognizes the first arrivals of Indian indentured labourers to Fiji on 15th May 1879 aboard the Leonidas, and the subsequent arrivals of more than 60,000 more Girmitya who settled in Fiji upon expiration of their contracts and contributed significantly to Fiji’s development.
IDC statement: “Your ancestors came from India to Fiji partially by choice, many were forced but resolved and persevered under very difficult and harrowing conditions. That shared experience, that saga of shared history, fostered a unique kindred spirit of resolve, togetherness and kinship – a triumph over obstacles and difficulties with dreams and aspirations of a destiny intertwined by history and fate”.
IDC commends IDCA as an outstanding Indian diaspora and community based organization fostering, preserving and promoting Indian culture in Australia, by keeping alive the enduring legacy of “the ties that bind” with India, our ancestral homeland. IDCA “fosters social, economic, and cultural connections, promoting Indian heritage while engaging in community welfare and civic participation”.
Consistent with the IDC’s mission, IDCA addresses issues of interest and concern with outreach, engagement and programmes which are meaningful and informative to the Indian Diaspora community. With a dedicated executive board, IDCA facilitates more understanding, cooperation and collaboration among peoples of various ethnic backgrounds, assimilating and co-existing in harmony in adopted homelands far from birth countries of many.
We are pleased that IDCA is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a comprehensive programme with performances, awards, Indian’s High Commissioner to Fiji, HE Ajay Bhai Amrit, in attendance and the launch of IDCA’s 10th anniversary commemorative magazine.
Our best wishes for a very successful and memorable programme, and continuing progress by IDCA.
Ashook Ramsaran, president of Indian Diaspora Council Int’l.
