Online registration of PBD-2009 begins; Vayalar launches website

New Delhi, Aug 21 (UNI) Online registration for the seventh Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) began today with Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi launching the website (www.pbdindia.org) at a convention here.

The PBD meet is scheduled to be held at Chennai Trade Centre in the state capital from January 7 to 9, 2009.

The event is being organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in partnership with the Tamil Nadu government.

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, Mr Ravi said 1,500 to 2,000 delegates were expected to attend the Chennai meet. ''It is the government's effort to take the convention to different places in the country,'' he added.

The website provides for online registration of delegates for PBD-2009, apart from providing details like the programme schedule, hotels, pre and post conference optional tour programmes.

Indians can register for the convention by paying Rs 10,000 while those not holding Indian passports will have to pay 200 US dollars for participation.

This year's theme would be 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, Tourism and separate sessions with the state government is also planned.

A trade and industry exhibition along with the corporate sector, financial institutions, state governments, NGOs and others have organised Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) at the PBD-2009.

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