The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Kochi Muziris Biennale Seminar on ‘Importance of Sustainable Cultural Building’ today (March 2, 2017) in Kochi, Kerala.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that contemporary art is one of the most significant ways of expressing thoughts, emotions, concerns and ideas that are current and relevant to us in the time we live in. The fact that Kerala, the land of history and tradition, now hosts the largest show of contemporary art in the region, and that too a show that was seeded by Government, speaks of the unique ways of this State and its people.
The President said that Kerala has always been known for its secular approach towards art and culture. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is a proud symbol of this approach and the sense of oneness and inclusivity that exists here.
The President said that the Kochi Biennale Foundation is a good case study of what is possible when differing agencies come together to pursue profound goals: to value culture, and the achievements of the human spirit, to celebrate the human imagination, and to make those achievements key markers of development. But most importantly this model should be replicated in different parts of the country.