Guwahati: An international conference on Asian Values and Human Future jointly organized by Indian and Chinese universities Tuesday started with the entire 20 member Chinese delegation being absent.
Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) and the Institute for Advanced Humanistic Studies Hubei University, China, are organizing the July 7-9 seminar at the Salesian university’s Azara campus in Guwahati, the commercial capital of Assam, northeastern India.
“Hitches in the timely procurement of travel documents from the Indian embassy in China is said to be the cause of their absence,” the organizers told Matters India.
“We have been trying our best over the past weeks to get the delegation come over to participate in the conference,” they added.
The ADBU pro vice chancellor Fr Joseph Nellanatt in a tweeted message appealed Prime Minister Modi to help bring the Chinese delegation.
“I have no response yet from Modiji,” Fr Nellatt said.
Meanwhile, some 60 other delegates representing some 20 universities and eight institutions from Bangladesh, India, Israel, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and United Kingdom participated at the opening of the conference.
Dignitaries at the inaugural function included Chief Justice (Acting) Guwahati High Court K. Sreedhar Rao, Minister of Culture of Assam Bismita Gogoi, Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati, and former Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati and other eminent citizens.
Highlight of the inaugural session included cultural program by the Assam government’s Ministry of Culture as well as an exhibition portraying the history of Assam by Assam State Museum.
END