UK gears up for Modi mania as Indian PM arrives for CHOGM 2018

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1 UK gears up for Modi mania as Indian PM arrives for CHOGM 2018 The UK is gearing up for the return of Modi mania as the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London next week. As leaders from all the 53 member countries gather in London and Windsor, the Friends of India Society International (FISI) has organised a gathering at the Parliament Square from 11:30 am onward on Wednesday, 18th April 2018 with free tickets available, here. The organiser of British Indians and Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, FISI hopes to promote cordial cultural, business and educational relationships between India and the U.K. As global citizens and proud British Indians, let us all come together in welcoming honourable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi. Let us celebrate the rich heritage, progress, tolerance and the unity in diversity of India, it said in a statement. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi s last visit to the UK took place in November 2015 when he was given a rousing welcoming by 55,000 members of Britain s Indian community and guests who packed out Wembley Stadium. That event, organised by Europe India Forum, saw participation from 450 community groups, 2000 volunteers and hundreds of performers including Asian RnB sensations Jay Sean, Navin Kundra and Sonna Rele; Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor, opera singer Patricia Rozario, carnatic violinist Jyotsna Shrikant, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and many others. This time, Prime Minister Modi will be taking part in a live televised event Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath in central London on 18th April A few hundred guests, already picked by an open ballot, will get the chance to participate

2 in the moderated question and answer session with the Prime Minister. About the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 From Monday 16 April to Friday 20 April this biennial event will bring together Heads of Government, Foreign Ministers and thousands of delegates from across our 53 Commonwealth nations. With the theme of Towards a Common Future, the summit will focus on addressing common challenges across the Commonwealth and work to deliver a more prosperous, secure, sustainable and fairer future for the Commonwealth s 2.4 billion citizens. Ahead of the formal Heads of Government Meeting on Thursday and Friday, the week will begin with three days of forums on Business, Women, People and Youth (Monday 16 to Wednesday 18 April). The Youth, Women s and People s Forum will take place at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster while the Business Forum will be held at Guildhall in the City of London. The forums offer a unique platform for the people of the Commonwealth to come together to address shared challenges and help frame the discussions of leaders. Up to 2,000 representatives from business, civil society, youth-led organisations and government will meet to discuss and raise the issues of most importance to our citizens. For the first time, all four forums will come together under one roof on Tuesday 17 April at the QEII Centre. A number of high-profile speakers are expected to take part throughout the three days. The UK will host a reception, curated by the GREAT Britain campaign, to showcase the best of the UK s export examples through music, sport and technology. This will include the

3 Premier League trophy, the men and women s Cricket World Cup trophies, food and drink sourced from across the whole of the UK. Alongside this, exhibits from the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange will be on display. On Wednesday 18 April the UK Foreign Secretary will host Commonwealth Foreign Ministers as they undertake the preparatory work on the key themes for the Heads of Government meeting. Thursday 19 April will mark the start of the Heads of Government programme. The Mall, Parliament Square and Windsor will be lined with the flags of the Commonwealth as Heads of Government, Foreign Ministers and guests gather in Buckingham Palace. Those travelling in and around the area can expect to see ceremonial elements, including a Commonwealth Guard of Honour and a 53 gun salute. Following this, all Heads of Government will be welcomed by the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, and Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, before starting the Executive Sessions at Lancaster House. Working sessions, which will be chaired by the UK Prime Minister, will focus on the key priorities of the summit prosperity, security, sustainability and fairness. On Thursday evening, Her Majesty The Queen will host a dinner for leaders and their spouses at Buckingham Palace. The UK Foreign Secretary will also host a dinner for his counterparts. In keeping with Commonwealth tradition on the final day of the summit, Heads of Government will gather at Windsor Castle for the Leaders Retreat. This is designed to allow frank dialogue. On the conclusion of the Retreat, a communique is published which sets the decisions and commitments that leaders have made.

4 Commonwealth themed events Alongside the summit, a number of other organisations have Commonwealth themed events taking place to highlight and celebrate the Commonwealth. These include: A special Commonwealth Evensong at Westminster Abbey (15 April at 3pm) Research Vessel Endeavour moored alongside HMS Belfast on the Thames (17 and 18 April), educating school children about the important work it is doing to protect our oceans; Commonwealth-themed openings of the London Stock Exchange; Global Citizen concert at Brixton Academy featuring Emeli Sandé and Professor Green (17 April); Malaria Summit aims to unite leaders of government, business and science to take action to eliminate this disease (Wednesday 18 April); Birmingham will host a Commonwealth Games homecoming celebration (21 April) Commonwealth related events & exhibitions In addition to this, many UK cultural institutions have Commonwealth-related events and exhibitions, including the Government Art Collection, Wallace Collection, Science Museum, British Museum, British Library, National Portrait Gallery, amongst others. These institutions are hosting tours, talks, lectures, musical performances and the first Commonwealth film festival. More details can be found at: Commonwealth Big Lunches Since 12 March 2018, Commonwealth Big Lunches, have been taking place across the Commonwealth, concluding on 22 April.

5 Delivered in partnership with the Eden Project, these lunches encourage people across the Commonwealth to come together, share food and learn about the Commonwealth. Over 200 lunches will have taken place including: 30,000 students and staff at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences in India, in an East London community centre, on board the RRS James Cook off the coast of South Africa, in schools across the Commonwealth, on beaches, in village halls and in places of worship. During the summit week, a Commonwealth Big Lunch will take place at the first joint forum day with the 2,000 attendees. More details can be found at: The Commonwealth is a diverse community of 53 nations that work together to promote prosperity, democracy and peace.