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On-Line Registration starts off for Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-2009 Vayalar Ravi Launches website for PBD Chennai
	17:50 IST

On-Line registration for the7th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) started off today with the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Mr. Vayalar Ravi launching the website (www.pbdindia.org) of the Convention in New Delhi. The Convention is scheduled to be held at the Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai on 07-09 January 2009. The event is being organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in partnership with the Government of Tamil Nadu. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is the institutional partner. It is the first PBD Convention being organised in Chennai. Highlighting the various benefits from the convention, the Minister expected 1500 to 2000 delegates to take part in the Chennai meet. He said, it is the government’s effort to take the convention to different places in the country.

The website provides for on-line registration of delegates for PBD-2009 apart from providing other details like the programme schedule, hotels, pre and post conference optional tour programmes, etc. Indians can register for the convention by paying 10000 rupees, while those not holding Indian passports will have to pay 200 US dollars for participation.

The theme of the 7th PBD is Engaging the Diaspora: The Way Forward. The deliberations will include the Diaspora role in India’s emergence as a global power, preservation of their language and Culture and the role of Diaspora Youth in the 21st Century India. Regional Working Sessions on Diaspora in the Gulf, Asia-Pacific, Africa, USA, Europe, Caribbean and Canada are also envisaged.

Building-the-Bridges Sessions have been planned on ‘Trade & Investment’, ‘Diaspora Philanthropy’, ‘Education & Diaspora Knowledge Network’, Media and Entertainment’ and ‘Tourism’ and separate Sessions with State governments are also planned.

A Trade and Industry Exhibition with participation from Corporate sector, Financial Institutions, State Governments, NGOs and others and a market place of Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) are being organised at the PBD-2009.