Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Hon’ble Rashtrapatiji

Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, Hon’ble Chief Minister

Shri Kadakampally  Surendran, Hon’ble Minister for Co-operation,

Smt. Saumini Jain, Mayor of Kochi,

Prof. K.V. Thomas Member of Parliament,

Shri. K.J Maxi, Member of Legislative Assembly,

Shri. Bose Krishnamachari, President, Kochi-Muziris Biennale Foundation,

Shri Riyas Komu, Director, Kochi-Muziris Biennale Foundation,

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends in Media

Good evening to all of you.

We are extremely fortunate to have the Hon’ble President of India to inaugurate the Seminar on “Importance of sustainable culture building” as part of theKochi Muziris Biennale, 2016-17.  On behalf of the people of the State, I extend to our Hon’ble Rashtrapatiji a warm and cordial welcome to Kerala and especially to this Biennale, which has transformed God's own country to a global Paradise of Art.

       As we all know, the Kochi Muziris Biennale, initiated in 2012 as an international festival of contemporary art, was the first of its kind in India and the largest public exhibition of art in South Asia. The Biennale 2016-17 is its third edition, which celebrates the creations of 97 artists from 31 countries, through a variety of forms that include painting, sculpture, film, installations, new media and so on.

       History tells us of Muziris in Kodungallur, which once attracted spice traders from far-away lands.  Kochi, well known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, was also enriched by the convergence of various cultures.  Into some of these historic sites, which, in the bygone era attracted trade, the Biennale now ensures the convergence of contemporary art, thereby enabling the Indian art community to confidently step into the global stage.

       As the discussion in today's Seminar suggests, the Kochi Muziris Biennale has been Kerala's major artistic attempt at sustaining the culture of peaceful co-existence that has always marked our society.  The dozen venues that showcase the various art forms and installations still bear the images of the distant past imprinted on this soil by different cultures of the world. The diverse philosophies of art uniting through their expression in this Biennale speaks volumes about the contribution of art in sustainable culture building. That the Government of Kerala supports this initiative is proof enough of the acceptance this event has received from the people. The involvement of the artistic works of students is to be seen as a step towards the future of this Art Movement.

        I congratulate the Government of Kerala, the Department of Tourism, the Kochi Muziris Biennale Foundation and ShriSudarshan Shetty, who is the acclaimed artistic brain behind this Biennale.  

       With these words, I request our Hon’ble President Shri Pranab Mukherjee to inaugurate this Seminar.

Thank you

Jai Hind