TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
BELGAUM: In a bid to conscientize Goans on the plight of Goan settlers in rural and urban areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka, an All Goa Awareness Programme will be conducted at Sirsaim-Bardez on Sunday.
The meeting will be held at Sirsaim Comunidade Hall and Franciscan priest, Fr Joe Fernandes, who has been working to raise awareness among these Goan settlers, will organise the meeting with the assistance of Tivim MLA Kiran Kandolkar.
A large number of Goan settlers from Belgaum, Kolhapur, Gadhinglaj, Khanapur, Bhudargad and other parts are expected to take part in the day-long meeting, which is expected to set the tone for the Gaukari movement in Karnataka and Maharashtra in the coming years.
“This is an effort to make Goans aware of the sad plight of the Goan settlers in the neighbouring states of Goa. The programme will start with a public meeting at the Comunidade Hall, Sirsaim-Tivim, at 2 pm. Revenue Minister Francis D’Souza will be the chief guest, while Adv Bernard D’Souza will chair the meeting along with Adv Andre Pereira, an expert on comunidades in Goa,” Fr Fernandes told Herald.
Sirsaim Comunidade President Sharad Parab, Hector Fernandes and members of Sirsaim Comunidade have come forward to organise the meeting. Jesuit priests Fr Joe Monteiro, Fr Prabhudhar, Fr Augustine Fernandes, Fr Joseph Fernandes and others will take part in the meeting.
Fr Savio Abreu will speak on Goan migration, its history and culture, while Adv Andre Pereira will enlighten on ‘Ami Goenche Gaunkar & Amche Goenkar Hak (Rights).’ Educationist J B Bardeskar, Prof J Y Bardeskar, Deoraj Bardeskar and others will also speak.
