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| Sunday, 5 December 2004 |
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Unity in diversity, the South Asian trait - Mani Shankar Aiyar by Ananth Palakidnar India's Petroleum and Natural Gas and Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said unity in diversity was the common South Asian trait that civilization bequeathed to us. He said that present challenges faced by South Asian nations could be met by drawing lessons from the inheritance of their earlier civilizations which reflected unity in diversity. Defining secularism as respect for rights of others and equality of all he said the nation state could be secular only if it recognizes the equality of all nations within its boundaries. Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar was delivering a lecture on `The Secular Imperative for South Asia ' at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall to mark the completion of ten years in the Presidency of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. The lecture was chaired by Foreign Affairs Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. He was accompanied on the dais by Ports and Aviation and Information and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera. President Chandrika Kumaratunga was present at the lecture along with several Ministers ,Opposition members and diplomats . Mani Aiyar is widely regarded as one of India's most eloquent speakers in English. |
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