Indian High Commissioner Her Excellency Shrimati K Nandini Singla unveiled on March 16 the new library, named after Father of the Nation, Shri Mahatma Gandhi at the IORA Secretariat, Ebene. The new IORA Secretariat Mahatma Gandhi Library has been sponsored by the Indian Government aiming to strengthen the IORA Secretariat. IORA Secretary-General, Ambassador His Excellency Salman Al Farisi together with directors and staff welcome the virtual participation of Member States at the secretariat during the inaugural ceremony for the India-funded Library project.
Ambassador Singla has emphasised the importance of setting up a library forming an intrinsic part of any institution while telling that the dedicated IORA Library would serve as a healthy place for gathering, collecting information, creating ideas, and generating productive thoughts. She further stressed the wealth of culture that the IORA Member States and Dialogue Partners bring as the largest and most prominent organisation in the Indian Ocean region.
The Indian HC also announced the implementation of an eOffice software suite at the IORA Secretariat as a second project to be heralded by India to further strengthen the Secretariat in terms of resources.
On the other hand, Ambassador Salman Al Farisi has expressed his appreciation to the Government of India for funding the library project while mentioning that it will serve as a resource unit pertaining to the IORA Priority and Focus Areas, thus increasing the intellectual and decision-making capacity of IORA in multitude.
“The establishment of the IORA Library is very timely, considering that IORA is celebrating its Silver Jubilee this year… We are privileged to be an Association with such rich diversity, and now, the IORA Secretariat is imbibed with the capacity to document and preserve the institutional memory of the IORA Secretariat and to build a Library along with the Member States which we would cherish for years to come,” Ambassador Al Farisi was quoted saying.
The initiative showcases the commitment shown by India as one of the founding and active members of the organisation to strengthen the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
