United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres will hold bilateral talks with external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar and inspect India’s first solar-powered village in Gujarat during a three-day India visit, starting October 18.
Guterres earlier visited India in October 2018.
He will begin his visit from Mumbai by paying homage to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Later, the top UN official will deliver a public address at IIT Mumbai on ‘India @75: UN-India Partnership: Strengthening South-South Cooperation’.
On October 20, Guterres will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat’s Kevadiya at the launch of the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) booklet, logo and tagline.
The concept of LiFE was introduced by PM Modi during COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021. PM had then urged the global community of individuals and institutions to drive LiFE as an international mass movement towards “mindful and deliberate utilisation, instead of mindless and destructive consumption” to protect and preserve the environment.
Mission LiFE will be India’s signature initiative at the United Nations and other international platforms for showcasing climate action and early achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Its central idea reflects India’s ethos of respect for the environment and aims at piloting a focussed program that will mobilise 1 billion Indians to become pro-planet people (3P), who would practice simple environment and climate-friendly behaviour/actions in their daily lives to promote a shared commitment to protect our planet.
Guterres will also hold bilateral talks with EAM Jaishankar on issues of global concern, and steps to deepen India’s engagement with the UN, including through India’s upcoming Presidency of the G20 and reformed multilateralism.
In Kevadiya, UNSG is expected to pay floral tributes at the Statue of Unity. He will also be visiting India’s first solar-powered village in Modhera and other development projects in the area. He will also visit the Sun Temple in Modhera before his departure.