THERE IS URGENT NEED TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE NATURAL AND NATIONAL HERITAGE OF THE HIMALAYAN PEOPLE BY INTEGRATING THEM IN THE MAINSTREAM OF SOCIETY - SHEKHAWAT

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Vice President Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said that there is urgent need to preserve and protect the natural and national heritage of the Himalayan People by integrating them in the mainstream of society. Shri Shekhawat was inaugurating the National Seminar to commemorate Himalayan Year Celebrations during April 4-7 in New Delhi. The Seminar was organised by Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association. Shri Shekhawat further said that contribution of Himalayas and the indigenous people for the development has been widely acclaimed, now the need is to preserve and propagate the natural and national heritage of the people through development of awareness in the society and by integrating them in the mainstream of the society. Vice President stressed the need for providing education to all the tribal people of the Himalayan region for their development. They should also be provided with opportunity for self employment. He said there is uniformity of culture of the Himalayan people and that should be integrated into main tenets of our cultural heritage. He urged that our system of governance must give priority to tribal development for empowering the tribals.

The Vice President inaugurated the seminar by lighting the butter lamp, thereafter, chanting of mangalacharan was done by monks. Vice President also released a souvenir on the occasion of Himalayan Year.