Villeneuve: President Ram Nath Kovind unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Villeneuve, Switzerland on Saturday in the presence of Mayor and President of Canton Vaud and other dignitaries.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Mahatma Gandhi’s life teaches us many things. He built his first hermitage in India on the banks of River Sabarmati. “Today, we have brought him to the banks of Lake Geneva. It is a fitting tribute to a man who loved nature and cared so much for it. His legacy shall inspire us as we work together to tackle climate change and to conserve our ecology.”
The President said that Mahatma Gandhi believed in the oneness of humanity. He embraced all cultures and all peoples. As two democracies with a deep respect for diversity, Mahatma Gandhi shall continue to guide us in our shared journey to bring peace and joy for one and all.
Kovind tweeted, ” Honoured to unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Villeneuve, Switzerland. Grateful to the Commune of Villeneuve for bringing Gandhiji to the banks of Lake Geneva and for naming the Square after him #PresidentKovind.”
Honoured to unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Villeneuve, Switzerland. Grateful to the Commune of Villeneuve for bringing Gandhiji to the banks of Lake Geneva and for naming the Square after him #PresidentKovind #Gandhi150 pic.twitter.com/hTi2vMMLEM
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 14, 2019
President Kovind said that trade and economic relations constitute the essence of India-Switzerland bilateral ties. Switzerland is the largest exporter to India from Europe. Our bilateral trade volume stands at around US$ 19 billion. He said that India is committed to expanding its trading ties further.
Welcoming Swiss companies to invest he said,” India has received Swiss participation in its flagship Make in India, Smart Cities, Digital India, Clean India, Start-up India and Skill India programmes. We welcome Swiss companies to further invest and engage in our transformation and our growth. India has set up an online portal, India Investment Grid, to showcase investment opportunities across India.” Kovind called upon Swiss companies to visit it.
