Odisha CM lauds Bali Jatra celebration at House of Lords

Bhubaneswar, Nov 16 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday lauded the efforts of Odia Association in the United Kingdom for organising 'Bali Jatra' and taking the state's heritage to the global stage.

A statement released by the CMO said it was informed that 'Bali Jatra', one of India's oldest and most iconic maritime festivals, was commemorated in the historic House of Lords in London on Saturday.

The Odisha Society of United Kingdom (OSUK) and Xpertnest jointly organised the 'Global South Maritime Heritage Summit 2025' at the House of Lords and celebrated the Bali Yatra festival.

A special message from Majhi was shared during the event, in which he congratulated the organisers for their efforts in creating awareness about Odisha's rich maritime legacy on an international platform. The message was played for the audience during the programme, the statement said.

A key takeaway from the summit was the announcement of plans to establish a "Global South Corridor", aimed at facilitating and renewing ancient connections between these regions, both economically and culturally, the CMO said, adding that delegates from the Global South expressed strong interest in seeing the corridor come to fruition in the coming year.

The event was attended by UK MP Louie French, Shadow Minister for Sport and Culture; Lord Rami Ranger; Lord Evans; former Members of Parliament; councillors from both the Conservative and Labour parties; and Members of the London Assembly.

Delegates from Southeast Asia—including members of Labour Friends of South East Asia and the APPG ( All Party Parliamentary Group) on Indonesia—as well as from Africa, China, the United Kingdom, and Europe, also joined the event. The Trade Minister of Sri Lanka also graced the occasion.

Odisha, every year, organised the 'Bali Jatra' festival to commemorate the state's maritime history and trade with Southeast Asia. The event features traditional arts, crafts, food, and cultural performances. PTI AAM AAM RG