The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India with the support of Hindi Shiksha Sangh, South Africa and other stakeholders, will be holding the Ninth World Hindi Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, from September 22-24.
The conference will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre, Maude St, Sandton-2196, Johannesburg, head of chancery at the High Commission of India in Wellington, SK Verma said.
Minister of State for External Affairs, Preneet Kaur, launched the logo and website of the forthcoming conference in New Delhi on July 19.
Mr Verma said the theme of the WHC this year will be "Bhasha ki Asmita Aur Hindi Ka Vaishvik Sandarbh" and it will deliberate on a series of traditional and contemporary themes related with both classical and modern aspects of Hindi.
The conference would also have nine academic sessions on such subjects as Mahatma Gandhi's linguistic vision; Hindi and modern technology; role of Indian epics in propagation of Hindi; contribution of foreign scholars in dissemination of Hindi; Mass media and Hindi, etc.
The tradition of the World Hindi Conferences began with the first conference in Nagpur in the year 1975. Since then, these conferences have achieved a global profile and momentum of their own. The subsequent eight World Hindi Conferences were organized in different cities, namely, twice in Port Louis (Mauritius), once each in New Delhi (India), Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), London (UK), Paramaribo (Suriname) and New York (USA). All these conferences have always attracted a galaxy of renowned scholars and followers of Hindi.
In keeping with the growing reach and popularity of this event, the Government has decided to organise the next conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, which would also be an apt recognition of India's historic, close and growing ties with the whole of the African continent. South Africa also carries the profound memories of Mahatma Gandhi'sassociation with that region.
Information about the registration for the conference and other details can be obtained at http://vishwahindisammelan.gov.in