On the second day of the B20 Summit, delegates from 23 nations, including 26 overseas business delegates and 24 diplomats were exposed to the significant cultural heritages, cuisine, art, festivities, and scenic beauty of Manipur.
The B20 Session is the official G20 dialogue forum for the global business community.
In an effort to provide a unique experience to the visiting delegates, they were taken on a tour at Marjing Hill in Imphal East where the 120 feet tall polo statue was erected and were also given an opportunity to take a glimpse of the Arambai and Sagol Kangjei games.
Later, the delegates were taken for an excursion to INA Complex and Sendra to view the beauty of the one and only floating lake "Loktak Lake" and lastly, to the Sangai Ethnic Park where they were welcomed by all the 34 ethnic groups of Manipur in their respective traditional attires and showcasing their traditional dances and music in front of their respective model huts.
Speaking to the media, Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who accompanied the delegates during the tour, expressed happiness to witness positive feedback from the delegates on the hospitality of Manipur.
He said, "The delegates even expressed that it is their first such extravaganza experience in the entire India where they were able to get the glimpse of all the ethnic groups of a single state at one location. Jokingly they even suggested changing the capital of India from Delhi to Manipur".
He also informed that many delegates had also expressed willingness to invest in the state particularly from America, Argentina, Peru and Bangladesh during the Friday's B20 meeting.
"The state is going to get an investment in the Tourism Sector amounting to a sum of 500 million US dollar from a company based on US”, he informed.
It is hopeful that Manipur will witness a brand-new development in all sectors with incoming of various foreign investments after this B20 event, added CM Biren.
The 23 participating nations are Australia, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Chad, Canada, China, France, Greece, Iceland, Japan, Nepal, Russia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda, United States and the United Kingdom.
Delegates from Overseas Trade Delegation - Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Asia Supporting Organisation, APO, JAPAN, India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Bilateral Organisation - Indian Association of Japan, Indo Icelandic Business Association were among the participants.
Besides, diplomats Ambassadors from the Embassy of The Republic of Tunisia, High Commissioner - Bangladesh High Commission, High Commissioner- High Commission of the Republic of Seychelles, New Delhi, Deputy Head of Mission - Embassy of Iceland, Chargé d’Affaires /Head of Mission - High Commission of Togo in India were part of the B20 event.
According to the itinerary of the programme, the delegates will be leaving for Delhi from Imphal Airport on Sunday after having a breakfast at the Kangla Fort and taking a glimpse of the one and only market run by women "Ima Keithel" at Khwairamband Bazar in Imphal.
