30 Mar 2024  |   07:07am IST

Konkani songs mesmerise British parliamentarians

Special event on Modern Languages held at House of Lords; the event marked 25th year of UNESCO World Poetry Day

Team Herald

MARGAO: At a vibrant event held at the House of Lords of British Parliament earlier this week on March 26, Kokani was one of the 20 languages of India and South Asia that were promoted at the function.

Hosted by Rt.Hon. Lord Dholakia, Deputy Leader of the House, and organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages, the event marked the 25th year of UNESCO World Poetry Day.

Poems, songs, dances and other cultural expressions were presented on the occasion.

Aligning with the theme of Water, Dr Bernadette Pereira presented traditional Konkani songs accompanied by Paulo Colaço Dias on Guitar and Leonardo Pereira Dias on Ghumot. It was a proud moment for Konkani at such a significant stage. Attendees came from all over England despite bad weather.

This also marked the second time that Konkani language was expressed in the British Parliament, this time in the House 

of Lords.

It may be recalled that earlier, on May 24, 2023, a Konkani poem was recited for the first time at a cultural diversity event at the British Parliament, which was held in commemoration of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. That event was also organized by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with the (APPG on Modern Languages, supported by the Chartered Institute of Linguists. During that event held last year, Dr Bernadette Pereira, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon at North Middlesex University Hospital in London, had recited the famous poem 'Magnnem' (Prayer) by Dr Manoharrai Sardessai, a Goan writer, poet, and academic. The event served as an inspiration to Goenkars to be proud of their language and heritage and to propagate it worldwide.