Ninth 'World Hindi Conference' will be held in South Africa

New Delhi -  The ninth World Hindi Conference (WHC) will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa from September 22-24.

A media launch for the conference will take place on July 18 at The Ballroom, Hyderabad House, New Delhi.  The conference logo and the conference website will be launched on this  occasion by Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur.

 Organisation of World Hindi Conferences began more than three decades ago when the 1st World Hindi Conference was held in Nagpur from 10-12 January, 1975 under the aegis of  Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, Wardha. 

In all, eight World Hindi Conferences have been held so far in different countries such as India (1975 and 1983), Mauritius (1976 and 1993), Trinidad & Tobago (1996), U.K. (1999), Suriname  (2003), USA (2007).

 External Affairs Ministery is the nodal ministry for coordinating the work relating to the ninth World Hindi Conference. A steering committee has been constituted under the chairmanship  Preneet Kaur. 

Six sub committees have been formed to deliberate on various aspects of the conference. In South Africa an organizing committee has been formed under the patronage of the High Commissioner of India Virendra Gupta. 

The Consulate General of India and Indian Cultural Centre, Johannesburg is assisting him. Hindi Shiksha Sangh a voluntary Hindi organization in South Africa is the local partner for the

conference. 

The main theme of the conference is 'Bhasha Ki Asmita Aur Hindi Ka Vaishvik Sandarbh'.

 The programme of the conference includes nine academic sessions, cultural programmes and exhibitions on various aspects of Hindi including IT applications in the field of Hindi.  Gandhi

Smriti and Darshan Samiti, New Delhi will also put up an exhibition on the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi. 

The venue of the conference will be Sandton Community Centre, Johannesburg.

 In view of Mahatma Gandhi's long association with South Africa and the deep influence Gandhiji's life had on Dr. Nelson Mandela, the main venue of the conference has been named as

Gandhigram, plenary hall as Nelson Mandela Sabhagar and other halls for academic sessions have been named as Shanti, Satya, Ahimsa, Neeti and Nyaya. 

A well-equipped media centre will be set up for the use of media persons and appropriate arrangements for briefing will be made at the venue.

Information about the registration for the conference and other details can be obtained from the conference website once it is launched.