INAUGURAL SESSION

The three-day conference was inaugurated on the morning of 7 th October by former Prime Minister Mr. V.P. Singh , who is also the Chief Patron of the Foundation.

In his inaugural address, Shri V. P. Singh lauded the efforts of the Foundation for bridging divides between nations and people and for having done more in a short span of time than embassies and diplomatic missions. Speaking on the occasion, V. P. Singh said, “ Writers are the biggest asset of a nation ”. He said that while politicians might spit venom and so do guns; it was impossible for venom to come out of a writer's pen. He concluded with visible optimism. In his words. “ The goodness of flowers and the flowering of goodness of the bond of love and peace is what I look forward to from this Conference. ”

The keynote address was presented by the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, and Culture, Mr. Jaipal Reddy , who said, " Writers and poets create the mind set and the ambience in which policies are formulated. We want you to dream, and dare to dream and prove all politicians wrong ". He added that no bond could be stronger than the bond of the hearts. Political action and diplomatic initiatives could never be substitutes for the contribution of the senior writers in establishing strong and lasting ties among the people of South Asia , was his firm conviction.

Ms. Ajeet Cour , the motivating force behind the Foundation of SAARC Writers' and Literature, an institution she established in 1987, in her welcome address. Stated " I wanted to consolidate the voice of writers and intellectuals... and through them, give voice to the voiceless millions who want peace. " This is the raison deter behind the movement that finds voice in the SAARC Writers Conferences that have been held regularly since the first one in Delhi in 2001. According to her, and the many writers participating in the Conference, there are but two options open to the world today: to keep silent to stand up and be counted, before the onslaught of tensions, wars, terrorism, inequities. For the creative mind, the second option is obviously the only one. The written word, they believe, will go a long way towards making the world a saner, more harmonious place.

Ms. Cour, in her paper, Sharing Civilizational Heritage, added that as inheritors of ancient civilizations like Mohenjo Daro and Harappa , there was an imperative to rise up against those who believed in plundering whole nations and civilizations.

Delivering the keynote address, the Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Milia Islamia, Prof. Mushirul Hasan , said literature offered multiple versions of the truth, thus fostering a better understanding of situations.

He said that he had used literature in his historical writings, which was uncommon. Although literature, he added, cannot bring about significant social change, it can illuminate aspects of collective existence, often untouched by political and economic practices.

Story-telling is an instrument for resistance to tyranny and literature can inspire tolerance. Similar views were expressed by the Culture Secretary, Neena Ranjan , who said cultural exchanges helped fight entrenched ideas. She added that those present could share the agonies of bruised psyches of people separated by boundaries.

The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Ajeet Cour.