During his address to the Guyanese Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his vision for global peace, democracy, and humanity, reflecting on the long-standing relationship between India and Guyana.
Here are the top 10 quotes from his speech:
1. On the Honor Conferred by Guyana
“Yesterday, Guyana conferred me with its top honour. I am thankful to all Guyanese people for this honour, and I dedicate it to all the citizens of India.”
2. On the Longstanding India-Guyana Relations
“Around 180 years ago, an Indian came to Guyana, and ever since, in good and in bad, in every situation, India-Guyana ties have been full of cordiality.”
3. Reflecting on His Previous Visit to Guyana
“Around 14 years back, I came to this beautiful country as a curious person. Usually, people like to travel to dazzling places, but I came here to learn the history and culture of Guyana.”
4. On the Spirit of “Democracy First, Humanity First”
“Today, ‘democracy first, humanity first’ is the strongest mantra to move ahead. The spirit of ‘democracy first’ teaches us to take everyone along and participate in everyone’s development. The spirit of ‘humanity first’ decides the direction of our decisions. When ‘humanity first’ is made the basis of decisions, the results prove to be beneficial for humanity.”
5. On the Changing Global Challenges
“Back when India and Guyana became independent, there were different challenges. Today, in the 21st century, the world is facing different challenges. After Corona, we all had to move towards a new world order. However, the world got entangled with other issues.”
6. India’s Role as a Global First Responder
“Following the spirit of Democracy First, Humanity First, today, India is fulfilling its duties towards the world as a Vishwa Bandhu. Whenever a problem arises globally, India steps in as a First Responder. During the chaos of COVID-19, every country was trying to save itself. At that juncture, India shared medicines and vaccines with more than 150 countries.”
7. On India’s Commitment to Global Peace and Development
“We have never moved forward with the spirit of expansionism. We have always stayed away from the spirit of capturing resources, grabbing resources. Today India stands in favour of global development in every way, stands in favour of peace. With this feeling, today India has also become the voice of the Global South.”
8. On Addressing Global Conflict
“This is not a time for conflict in the world; this is the time to identify the conditions that create conflict and remove them. Today there are so many challenges like terrorism, drugs, cybercrime… only by fighting them will we be able to shape the future of our coming generations.”
9. India’s Vision at the G20 Summit
“When it came to uniting the world, India gave the mantra of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ during its G20 Presidency.”
10. India as the Voice of the Global South
“Today, India stands in favour of global development in every way, stands in favour of peace. With this feeling, today India has also become the voice of the Global South.”
These quotes from PM Modi highlight his vision for a peaceful, cooperative world, emphasizing democratic values and humanity as the foundation for progress.