The much awaited event-The ASEAN-India Car Rally- kicks off to a grand
start at the historic city of Yogyakarta, a city steeped in history and
culture, 26th November 2012 at 0900 hrs.
Jointly organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and all ASEAN nations, the ASEAN India car rally commemorates 20 years of ASEAN-India relationship in the run up to the India-ASEAN commemorative Summit to be held in New Delhi on 20-21 December 2012. The car rally aims to demonstrate the close civilization links with ASEAN countries, create public awareness, promote connectivity, and enhance trade, investment, tourism and people to people links between ASEAN and India region
The car rally will traverse a total of 8000 kms across nine countries over 22 days with 124 participants from 11 countries before culminating its journey in Guhawati, India, on 17th December 2012. Later, on 20th December 2012, a ceremonial flag down will be held in New Delhi by the Indian Prime Minister and other Head of States of all ASEAN countries.
A joint Press Conference to brief the media was addressed today, a day prior to the flag off ceremony, by Ambassador of India to Indonesia and ASEAN, Mr. Gurjit Singh and the Director General of ASEAN Cooperation in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja. Ambassador Gurjit Singh said that people-to-people relationships between India and the friendly countries of ASEAN are both historic and contemporary and the ASEAN-India Car Rally 2012 revitalizes the traditional engagements at the popular level. It also manifests the growing connectivity between India and the ASEAN. He further added that the ASEAN-India Car Rally marks the culmination of month long celebrations of ASEAN-India partnership which had laid strong emphasis on strengthening people to people connectivity in various regions of Indonesia. Towards this, many events were held in Indonesia like the highly successful visit of Indian Naval Sailing Ship expedition to Padang, Bali and Manado, business and academic seminars and cultural performances at Jakarta, Bali and Manado.
Two special publications ‘’Commemorating 20 years of ASEAN-India Partnership’’ and ’India-ASEAN IN FOCUS” were released on the occassion.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Indonesian Government for the inaugural leg of the journey Indonesia. During its Indonesian leg of journey the car rally will cover a distance of 134 Kms from Yogyakarta to Surakarta via Borobudur. The celebrations start with a dinner on 25th November 2012, a day prior to the flag off, for the rally participants against the backdrop of the historic Prambanan temple, UNESCO heritage monument, at Yogyakarta accompanied by a cultural performance traditionally held at the temple based on Indian epic Ramayana. The inaugural flag off ceremony on 26th November 2012 will be held at the courtyard of Hotel Royal Ambarukmo, Yogyakarta, where it will be flagged off by a host of Indonesian and Indian dignitaries. A large crowd including school children is expected to gather and cheer the participants at the Flag off ceremony. A cultural performance by both countries would be held during the flag off ceremony. An Indian cultural troupe showcasing Manipuri dance has been specially flown in from India through the aegis of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
After the flag off, the rally proceeds on a scenic route to historic and majestic Borobudur temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the world and UNESCO heritage monument, where the rally participants will halt for a lunch hosted by the Governor of Central Java. Rally participants will plant saplings and have a photo session against the backdrop of the Borubudur temple.
One of the important highlights during the stopover at Borobudur temple is the unveiling of bust of Indian Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore which will installed later in the vicinity of Borobudur Temple. The bronze bust of Rabindranath Tagore has been sculpted by Mr. Janak Jhankar Nazary, Professor of Art History in Viswa Bharti and gifted by the Indian Ministry of Culture especially to commemorate the visit of Rabindranath Tagore to Indonesia in 1927 where he had also visited Borobudur temple, planted a sapling and sitting on the steps of this grand temple wrote a poem “To Jawa” expressing his great love for this island..
The rally thereafter proceeds to the final leg of journey in Indonesia to Surakarta, a distance of where at its conclusion the rally participants will be hosted to a grand reception by the Mayor of Solo which includes cultural performance and handcrafts exhibition.
After a night halt at Surakarta, the rally participants fly to Singapore for the second leg of the ASEAN India car rally.
Jointly organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and all ASEAN nations, the ASEAN India car rally commemorates 20 years of ASEAN-India relationship in the run up to the India-ASEAN commemorative Summit to be held in New Delhi on 20-21 December 2012. The car rally aims to demonstrate the close civilization links with ASEAN countries, create public awareness, promote connectivity, and enhance trade, investment, tourism and people to people links between ASEAN and India region
The car rally will traverse a total of 8000 kms across nine countries over 22 days with 124 participants from 11 countries before culminating its journey in Guhawati, India, on 17th December 2012. Later, on 20th December 2012, a ceremonial flag down will be held in New Delhi by the Indian Prime Minister and other Head of States of all ASEAN countries.
A joint Press Conference to brief the media was addressed today, a day prior to the flag off ceremony, by Ambassador of India to Indonesia and ASEAN, Mr. Gurjit Singh and the Director General of ASEAN Cooperation in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja. Ambassador Gurjit Singh said that people-to-people relationships between India and the friendly countries of ASEAN are both historic and contemporary and the ASEAN-India Car Rally 2012 revitalizes the traditional engagements at the popular level. It also manifests the growing connectivity between India and the ASEAN. He further added that the ASEAN-India Car Rally marks the culmination of month long celebrations of ASEAN-India partnership which had laid strong emphasis on strengthening people to people connectivity in various regions of Indonesia. Towards this, many events were held in Indonesia like the highly successful visit of Indian Naval Sailing Ship expedition to Padang, Bali and Manado, business and academic seminars and cultural performances at Jakarta, Bali and Manado.
Two special publications ‘’Commemorating 20 years of ASEAN-India Partnership’’ and ’India-ASEAN IN FOCUS” were released on the occassion.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Indonesian Government for the inaugural leg of the journey Indonesia. During its Indonesian leg of journey the car rally will cover a distance of 134 Kms from Yogyakarta to Surakarta via Borobudur. The celebrations start with a dinner on 25th November 2012, a day prior to the flag off, for the rally participants against the backdrop of the historic Prambanan temple, UNESCO heritage monument, at Yogyakarta accompanied by a cultural performance traditionally held at the temple based on Indian epic Ramayana. The inaugural flag off ceremony on 26th November 2012 will be held at the courtyard of Hotel Royal Ambarukmo, Yogyakarta, where it will be flagged off by a host of Indonesian and Indian dignitaries. A large crowd including school children is expected to gather and cheer the participants at the Flag off ceremony. A cultural performance by both countries would be held during the flag off ceremony. An Indian cultural troupe showcasing Manipuri dance has been specially flown in from India through the aegis of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
After the flag off, the rally proceeds on a scenic route to historic and majestic Borobudur temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the world and UNESCO heritage monument, where the rally participants will halt for a lunch hosted by the Governor of Central Java. Rally participants will plant saplings and have a photo session against the backdrop of the Borubudur temple.
One of the important highlights during the stopover at Borobudur temple is the unveiling of bust of Indian Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore which will installed later in the vicinity of Borobudur Temple. The bronze bust of Rabindranath Tagore has been sculpted by Mr. Janak Jhankar Nazary, Professor of Art History in Viswa Bharti and gifted by the Indian Ministry of Culture especially to commemorate the visit of Rabindranath Tagore to Indonesia in 1927 where he had also visited Borobudur temple, planted a sapling and sitting on the steps of this grand temple wrote a poem “To Jawa” expressing his great love for this island..
The rally thereafter proceeds to the final leg of journey in Indonesia to Surakarta, a distance of where at its conclusion the rally participants will be hosted to a grand reception by the Mayor of Solo which includes cultural performance and handcrafts exhibition.
After a night halt at Surakarta, the rally participants fly to Singapore for the second leg of the ASEAN India car rally.