EAM Jaishankar to embark on visit to Fiji and Australia from Feb 15

Jaishankar is also scheduled to hold meetings with a cross section of Fijian leadership and call on Prime Minister Rabuka, Saurabh Kumar, Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs told a press conference here.

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will inaugurate the 12th World Hindi Conference at Nadi in Fiji on Wednesday. Jaishankar's visit to Fiji from February 15 will also be the first by an Indian leader since a new coalition government assumed office in the South Pacific Ocean island nation in December last year.

Jaishankar is also scheduled to hold meetings with a cross section of Fijian leadership and call on Prime Minister Rabuka, Saurabh Kumar, Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs told a press conference here. Besides Jaishankar, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan and Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Misrha Teni will also address the World Hindi Conference being held from February 15 to 17.

The main theme of the Conference is 'Hindi: From Traditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence'. The Conference will have a plenary session and 10 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.

The Conference will have parallel sessions 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. A 270-member delegation comprising Hindi scholars and officials will travel to Fiji for the conference. Kumar said representatives from 50 countries are expected to participate in the conference.

Fijian Deputy Prime Minister Biman Chand Prasad concluded his five-day visit to India on Friday. During his visit, Prasad attended the India Energy Week in Bengaluru, and held bilateral talks with Jaishankar. A three-party coalition government came to power in Fiji in December last year, ending the 16-year government of Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.