A group of 14 young people from the UK on Tuesday arrived in Punjab, the land of their parents and grandparents, as the state launched the 'Connect with Your Roots' programme.
During their stay from August 7 to 16, the group -- comprising eight male and six females aged between 16 and 22 -- are scheduled to visit Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple), Durgiana Mandir and Ram Tirath, Jallianwala Bagh, War Memorial, Attari-Wagah Border and Gobindgarh Fort in Amritsar, a government spokesman said.
The group will also visit the Punjab Civil Secretariat, Punjab Vidhan Sabha and the Rock Garden in Chandigarh; Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, National Institute of Sports and Punjabi University in Patiala, besides the Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Memorial at Khatkar Kalan village near Nawanshahr town.
Principal Secretary (NRIs Affairs) S.R. Ladhar and Chief Minister's OSD Jagdeep Singh Sidhu received the visiting group at the Chandigarh International Airport on behalf of the state government.
Ladhar said the group members will visit their ancestral places in Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Nawanshahr, Faridkot and Mohali districts.
"They will meet the families, friends and relatives of their parents and grandparents, thus educating themselves on their lineage," the spokesman said.
The group will get an opportunity to acquaint themselves with Punjab's glorious culture and heritage through visits to various places.
On their maiden visit to the land of their ancestors, the visiting youths said it would be a thrilling experience to interact with their relatives and peers to share experiences and views on traditions, language, dialect and cuisine of Punjab and the UK.
They will also meet Chief Minister Amarinder Singh during the state-level Independence Day celebrations in Ludhiana.
Ladhar said that many more groups will visit Punjab under the new initiative.
--IANS
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