Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, recently inaugurated the Goa Heritage Festival 2013 at the Saligao Football grounds near the 125-year old Mae De Deus church, which is a heritage structure, on the occasion of World Heritage Day.
“There is a need to conserve our heritage and to protect and preserve the identity of Goa. Festivals like these help us to promote our rich culture to the tourists and the public,” Parrikar said.
He then pressed a button to switch on the giant-sized replica gramophone which played the popular patriotic song ‘Goenche Majhe Goenkar’ penned by Manoharai Sardesai and sung by Ulhas Buyao.
Also present at the inaugural ceremony were Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar, GTDC Chairman and MLA Nilesh Cabral, GTDC Board of Directors, Managing Director of GTDC Nikhil Desai, President of TTAG Adv. Francis Braganza, and Saligao Sarpanch Eknath Oraskar.
