As 12th World Hindi Conference concludes in Fiji, a look at the highlights of the 3-day event

The 12th World Hindi Conference was held in Nadi, Fiji, from February 15–17, 2023, with the Government of Fiji as the co-organizer along with the Government of India. Here Are Some Highlights From the Event 1. The conference was attended by about 1000 participants from over 31 countries, including scholars and experts from around the world who engaged in in-depth discussions on various topics related to the Hindi language. 2. The Indian delegation led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar comprised Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan; Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Kumar Mishra; Members of Parliament; and senior officials. 3. The Fijian government was represented at the highest levels, with President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, and all three Deputy Prime Ministers in attendance, along with other senior government officials. 4. The conference, which was jointly inaugurated by President Katonivere and EAM Jaishankar, saw the release of a commemorative postal stamp by the Government of Fiji. A special Samarika and five other publications were also released on the occasion. 5. The main theme of the conference was "Hindi: From Traditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence," which was discussed in a plenary session. Ten other academic sessions were held on diverse sub-themes related to the Hindi language. 6. During the conference, special emphasis was placed on participation from South and North East India, which included those being honored. A total of 12 Hindi scholars from India and 19 scholars from abroad, as well as 2 institutions each from India and abroad, were selected for felicitation during the conference for promoting and propagating Hindi. 7. The closing ceremony of the conference was presided over by MoS Muraleedharan, who was the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee of the conference. He also read the outcome statement of the conference during the ceremony. 8. Among other highlights of the Closing Ceremony was a speech in Hindi delivered by Fijian Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad, highlighting steps being taken by Fiji to promote Hindi, including being allowed to deliver speeches in Hindi in the Fijian Parliament. 9. The conference also saw the organization of special cultural performances by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Fijian government, and a special exhibition was held on the sidelines of the conference on the story of Girmitiyas in Fiji. 10. External Jaishankar had unveiled the conference's website and logo in New Delhi in October 2022.