GOPIO NEWS SPECIAL BULLETIN

November/December, 2003

GOPIO INVITES YOU TO TWO CONFERENCES AND A CONVENTION HELD IN THREE CONTINENTS - GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK WITH NRIs/PIOs AND DISCUSS ISUUES OF COMMON CONCERN AND DEVELOP COMMON STRATEGIES.

v     GOPIO BELGIUM CONFERENCE - INDIA: OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, December 4, 2003

v     GOPIO CONVENTION 2004, Theme, INDIA AND PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN ROLE, RELTATIONSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY, January 7-8, 2004, New Delhi.

v    GOPIO HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE, Theme, PIO HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES, New York, March 20, 2004.

 

 GOPIO BELGIUM CONFERENCE

INDIA: OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED

organized by

GOPIO - BELGIUM

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE EMBASSY OF INDIA, BRUSSELS (BELGIUM)

 On

4 December 2003

 What is GOPIO?

The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) (http://www.GOPIO.net) is the international network of people of Indian origin (PIO) with its headquarters in the United States. It is a vibrant non-profit organization in the service of Non Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) around the world. In addition to taking various issues of NRI/PIO communities, GOPIO has set its priorities in pooling resources, both financial and professional, for the benefit of PIOs, the countries they come from and India.

GOPIO Belgium

The GOPIO Belgium is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian National Chapter of the GOPIO International which is engaged in promoting well being of non-resident Indians and people of Indian origin living in Belgium. The GOPIO Belgium Chapter which was founded on 2nd. October 2002 is working in cooperation with GOPIO International and is liaising between Indians and people of Indian origin in Belgium, the Belgium Government, Government of India, countries with people of Indian origin and relevant international organizations in realization of its objectives.

GOPIO Charts out New Initiatives

One of the objectives of GOPIO Belgium is to help promote economic development in India through investment and entrepreneurship. GOPIO is extremely optimistic about India becoming one of the ECONOMIC SUPER POWERS by the year 2020. That spells enormous Investment Opportunities both nationally and globally, which in turn will provide a return on investment amongst the most attractive in the world.

 

Keeping in mind the economic challenges India faces and how best the GOPIO Belgium can become a component to promote entrepreneurship, it has decided to organize a one-day Seminar on "India: Opportunities Unlimited which emphasises the sectors of high growth in India's economy and will facilitate interactions between selected potential interested investors and Indian corporate sector representatives. The Conference will be held in Brussels on 4 December 2003 at:

 

ITUH Auditorium

5, Boulevard du Roi Albert II

B 1210 Bruxelles

Belgium

Tel : 0032-2-224 0254

Fax : 0032-2-224 0299

 

The salient features of the Seminar are:

 

Sharing with participants the recent developments in Indias economic policies and in particular its investment policy;

The ongoing privatization program;

Rising opportunities by industry associations;

New areas of thrust in the economy;

Indias specific-product-market strengths; and

Indias growing influence in world trading system.

 

Programme

 

9.30 a.m.                                  Registration

10:00 a.m.                                Inauguration

                                                Welcome and Opening of the Seminar

 

Welcome by                               GOPIO Belgium

 

Chair:                                       Mr. R. P. Agrawal, Charge dAffairs, Embassy of India

 

Chief Guest:                              Prof. Dr. F. J. Tilak Viegas, Directorate General, International Scientific Cooperation Policy, European Commission

 

Key-Note Speaker:                     Dr. Thomas Abraham, President GOPIO International, New York, USA

 

Thanks:                                    GOPIO  

 

11:15 to 11.30 a.m.       Coffee/Tea Break

 

11.30 a.m.                                Session 1

                                    India as Information Technology Superpower: Challenges and Opportunities of Investment through Partnership and Alliances

                                   

                                    Speaker: Ms. Neena Gill, Member of the European Parliament

India has been recognized as the single industrial miracle of the 21st century. Its success as the provider and leader in IT with largest pool of software experts in the world offers an opportunity to global investors.

 

Input by: Ms Hilary Hanahoe from the organising forum of EuroIndia2004 Consortium

 

Presentation by Philips International, The Netherlands

 

            Perspective of a European Company having operations in India Ashish Dharap of Atos Origin, The Netherlands

 

Representative of Indian IT Companies

 

13:15 p.m.                                Lunch

 

14:30 p.m.                                Session II

India of tomorrow: Presenting Opportunities for Investment

 

Speaker: Mr. Nirj Deva, Member of the European Parliament

Economic factors and business perspective: where and how can firms invest in India and how will this change over the next five years?

 

Input by:           Representative of the European Commission

                       

            Discussions: Open sessions

 

16:15 to 16:30 p.m. Coffee/Tea Break

 

16:30 p.m.                                Inter-Active Session by the Participants

 

18:00 p.m.                                Closure of the Seminar

 

FOR CONFERECNE REGISTATION AND MORE INFORMAITON CONTACT

 

Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Belgium

Boulevard Louis Mettewie 69, bte. 18

B-1080 Brussels

Belgium

Tel. & Fax: +32-2-469 2677

 

 

 

President : Sunil Prasad Secretary : Shashank Sapre

Tel: +32-2-469 2677 & 2-224 0327                 Tel: (+32 14) 70 30 30 & 70 32 32
Fax: +32-2-469 2677                                                   Fax: (+32 14) 70 34 34
                                                                        GSM: +32.496. 36 01 00

 

E-mail: sunil.prasad@coditel.net E-mail: multitrade@pandora.be

or visit http://www.gopio.net/gopio_chapters/gopio_belgium/seminar.doc

 

OR CONTACT

The Embassy of India, 217, Chausse de Vleurgat, 1040 Brussels

Tel :+32-2-640 9140 Fax : 02-648 9638

 

GOPIO CONVENTION 2004, JANUARY 7-8, 2004

GOPIO CONVENTION - 2004

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS

THEME

INDIA AND NRIs/PIOs ROLE, RELATIONSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY

Place: FICCI Conference Hall and Auditorium, Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi

Date and Time: Wednesday, January 7th and Thursday, January 8th, 2004, 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.

Program

Wednesday, January 7th, 2004

10.00 to 12.3000 a.m. GOPIO Executive Committee and Executive Council Meeting

12.30 noon to 2.00 p.m. Lunch

2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. Reports from Regions and Countries

5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. Welcome Reception (Tea/Snacks), FICCI Auditorium

6.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. Inauguration of GOPIO Convention 2004, FICCI Auditorium

7.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. Launching of GOPIO Cultural Council and Inauguration of PIO/NRI Artists Website, FICCI Auditorium

8 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. Cultural Performance by PIO/NRI Artists, FICCI Auditorium

 

Thursday, January 8th, 2004

9.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. Registration/Coffee/Tea

10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. Conference Opening Session

11.15 a.m. to 1.00 a.m. Session on Business, Technology and Investments

1.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. Lunch

2.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. Session on Cultural Link, Rights Violations

3.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Tea Break

4.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. NRI/PIO Role in Building Indias Image Outside and Involvement of NRIs/PIOs in Philanthropic and Educational Activities in India

5.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. Adoption of Resolutions

7.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. Reception at Claridge Hotel, New Delhi

8.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. Presentation of Community Service Awards, Ceremony for the Induction of GOPIO Team for 2004-2007 and Banquet, Claridge Hotel

 

GOPIO is seeking suggestions for speakers at the various sessions. Please contact GOPIO Convention Program Chairman Inder Singh in USA at 818-708-3885, E-mail: gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net or Mr. I.P. Shah in New Delhi at , e-mail: ipshah@yahoo.com. The convention in New Delhi will be coordinated by Mr. K.N. Gupta and his team in New Delhi. Contact Mr. Gupta at 011- 5162-0266 or 2309-4128, E-mail: knguptas@hotmail.com. Sponsor opportunities are available for Indian businesses interested to reach out and network with PIOs/NRIs. Contact Mr. Prabodh Gupta at 011- 6441160/6441161/6444472, E-mail: prabodh.gupta@vsnl.com or Mr. Lal Motwani in New York, Tel: 718-470-1026, E-mail: lmotwani@nyc.rr.com

 

PIO/NRI ARTISTS - GOPIO has set up a Cultural Council to promote artists of Indian origin. Toward this goal, GOPIO Cultural Council will host details of artists in a website who would like to perform in countries with large NRI/PIO population. NRIs/PIOs artists as well as artists from India are encouraged to publicize their trips abroad through GOPIO Cultural Council Bulletin Board. One could send in details to gopio@gopio.net. Details of artists will be compiled at GOPIO website so that NRI/PIO groups in different countries can get access to their information including planned trips for the future. GOPIO CULTURAL COUNCIL will be officially inaugurated at the GOPIO Convention-2004.

NRI/PIO artists who like perform at the cultural program at the GOPIO Convention may send in details to GOPIO Cultural Council chairman Mr. Dharmatma Saran, E-mail: MSINDIAWW1@aol.com

 

PRAVASI BHARATIYA COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS GOPIO is seeking nominations from the NRI/PIO communities from all over the world to honor those who stand up in providing NON-RELIGIOUS community services to the NRI/PIO community. Send the nominations with background information by December 20th to GOPIO Inc. P.O. Box 1413, Stamford, CT 06904, USA, or E-mail to gopio@optonline.net The awardees will be honored at the GOPIO Convention -2004 Finale Banquet on January 8th evening.

 

Convention Registration Fee: $40 person for those from outside India and Rs. 1,000 for those from India. 

 

PIO HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVES & EXPERIENCES

 

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT A PAPER EXTENED TO FEBRUARY 20, 2004

Human Rights Perspectives and Experience: People of Indian Origin in the Caribbean, Americas, Asia,  Africa, Europe

In-Depth Reports, Discussions and Analyses.   Experiences of people of Indian origin living outside  of India in countries with significant PIO population. Reports on Fiji, the Caribbean, USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Africa, Guyana, Trinidad, Surname, and others.


Sponsored  By  
St. Johns Universitys
Center on Latin American & Caribbean Studies

on Saturday, March 20, 2004 @ 9:00am
at
St. Johns University
Bent Hall Auditorium
Jamaica     New York

Co-Sponsored By
Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), Inc.

Supported By  
The Guyanese East Indian Civic Association (GEICA)
And Several Other Institutions & Organizations

Contact:

GOPIO - Ashook Ramsaran, Tel: 718-969-8206, E-mail: ramsaran@aol.com
GOPIO - Prof. Surendra Kaushik, Tel: 914-762-6168, E-mail: skaushik@pace.edu
GEICA - Prakash Singh, Tel: 718-939-8194, E-mail: geica@aol.com 

St. Johns. Univ. Dr. Camacho-Gingerich, Tel: 718-990-1932, E-mail: clacs@sju.edu


SESSIONS
Region   I                The Caribbean, Guyana, Malaysia, Trinidad,
                                         Suriname, Fiji, Bangladesh
Region  II                 Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe,
                                         Other Africa, Mauritius
Region III                Australia, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, United States,
                                         Other Americas

SPEAK AT THE CONFERENCE ON YOUR EXPERIENCE OR PRESENT A SCHOLARLY PAPER

Please send an abstract to Secretary General Ashook Ramsaran at ramsaran@aol.com or call 718-969-8206.

 

Editorial Board

 

Dr. Thomas Abraham (Stamford, CT, USA)

Prashant Gupta (Chicago, IL, USA)

Sunil Prasad (Brussels, Belgium)

 

GOPIO NEWS welcomes NRI/PIO related stories from all over the world. Be a volunteer correspondent or reporter. Contact Dr. Thomas Abraham at gopio@optonline.net

Visit GOPIOs Official site at www.gopio.net