new DelhiIndia and Greece are looking at expanding bilateral ties on the cultural and educational front, Ioannis Chrysoulakis, Secretary-General of Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy, told ThePrint on Tuesday.,
“India-Greek relations are based on shared culture and history. Greece sees India as the next rising power and we are working to enhance cooperation on economic, cultural and educational fronts.
Chryssoulakis was speaking on the sidelines of a conference at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). At the conference The Greek World and India: History, Culture and Trade from the Hellenistic Period to Modern Times, which ends on Friday, 40 scholars from the two countries will present findings on shared history, culture and literature.
“Greek citizens have great respect for Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi), because he was one of the most notable proponents of democracy, a Greek principle,” Chrysoulakis said.
Talking about his meeting on Monday with Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of External Affairs and Culture, the Greek Secretary General said that the discussion had focused on ways to expand cultural ties between India and Greece .
“A student exchange program is underway for students of theater institutes in both the countries. In addition, two musicians from both countries will be selected, who will collaborate and create an album, which will be promoted by both countries,” Chrysoulakis said.
India and Greece Indian Foreign Minister S. Looking to increase bilateral relations with Jaishankar seizure Athens in 2021 and his counterpart, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias coming to New Delhi this year.
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Building Indo-Greek Relations
Elaborating on the plan for cultural exchange between the two countries, Chrysoulakis said that Indian students, especially those from JNU and Jharkhand Rai University (JRU), will be given priority for scholarships under ‘Study in Greece’ Will go Program,
While JNU has a chair of Greek Studies called the “Dimitrios Galanos Chair” and a Greek language department in its School of Languages, Chrysoulakis has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with JRU and the university has provided him Honorary Doctorate degree has also been awarded.
Chrysoulakis said that in order to attract foreign students, Greek universities have introduced courses taught in English.
While there is no direct flight connecting India and Greece as of now, Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis had Said A direct flight between Athens and India will be launched in October last year in view of the large number of middle-class Indians visiting Greece for holidays.
Speaking on this, Chrysoulakis said, “Our governments are in the process of establishing a direct flight connecting the countries. The pandemic delayed the process.”
He said that in order to expand economic ties between the two countries, the Greek Deputy Minister for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, Konstantinos Fragkogiannis, is scheduled to lead a large business and trade delegation to India in early 2023.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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