Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 2 : North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani during his visit to Kolkata said that the bond "created" by Mother Teresa will “permanently connect” India and North Macedonia.
Osmani's visit is to forge strong cultural ties between North Macedonia's capital Skopje 'janamabhoomi' (birthplace) and Kolkata 'karmabhoomi' (workplace) of Mother Teresa.
“Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, in 1910. She spent 18 of her formative years in North Macedonia, where we believe that she was influenced by the tolerance, diversity and multiculturalism of Skopje. That influenced her lifelong dedication to poor people and the underprivileged. And then she came to Kolkata and to India. And I think that this bond will permanently connect our two countries,” said Osmani while speaking to ANI.
“We are two democracies, maybe geographically we are far away, we are different in size, but we share the same values of democracy. And the main bond that connects our two countries and two people was certainly created by Mother Teresa,” he said.
Osmani reached Kolkata on Friday and visited the Memorial House of Mother Teresa to pay tribute to her life and mission.
“Honoured to stand at the hallowed grounds of Mother Teresa's final resting place. Mother House symbolises a lifetime of selfless service, inspiring us to embrace her legacy of love & compassion. As we remember her on this special occasion, her heritage shines brighter than ever,” posted Osmani on X.
Osmani also met dignitaries and officials in Kolkata to “discuss the potentials for economic cooperation between North Macedonia and West Bengal”.
“Now, the world doesn't recognise geographical distance, so what need is to bring the complementarities of our economies and to translate them into concrete projects,” he added.
Osmani also met Kolkata’s Mayor Firhad Hakim.
“Glad to meet the Mayor of Kolkata @FirhadHakim. Mutual respect for the legacy of #MotherTeresa as a bridge connecting the peoples of #NorthMacedonia & #India solid basis for establishing cooperation in different fields-tourism, culture & strengthening people-to-people ties,” Osmani later wrote on X.
Osmani also met Namit Bajoria, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of North Macedonia in Kolkata.
Osmani, Bajoria and Slobodan Uzunov, Ambassador of the Republic of North Macedonia in India, also paid floral tributes to the life-sized bronze statue of Mother Teresa at the Archbishop House in Kolkata.
The bronze statue, conceptualised and designed by Subrata Ganguly of Church Art, was donated by Bajoria in September 2016 to mark a symbolic link between Kolkata and Skopje, Macedonia's capital city where Mother Teresa was born.
The statue was formally inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a week prior to the canonization of Mother Teresa in early September 2016.
It is stationed adjacent to the statue of Pope John Paul II who visited Kolkata in February 1986 and stayed at the iconic Archbishop's House here. He met Mother Teresa on February 3, 1986.
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