New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday attended the inauguration ceremony of the National Conference on Goan Architecture and Sustainability, held in the national capital, where he emphasised the importance of preserving Goa’s architectural heritage while promoting sustainable development in the state.
The conference was inaugurated by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the presence of Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade. The event was organised by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) and brought together architects, planners, conservationists, engineers, policymakers, academicians and students to deliberate on sustainable development rooted in Goa’s rich architectural traditions.
Sharing details of the event in a post on X, Chief Minister Sawant expressed his pleasure at participating in the inaugural session and highlighted the significance of the conference.
“Pleased to join the inauguration ceremony of the National Conference on Goan Architecture & Sustainability, at the Hands of Union Minister for Tourism & Culture Shri @gssjodhpur ji, in presence of MP Shri @ShetSadanand, organised by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), bringing together architects, planners, conservationists, engineers, policymakers, academicians, and students to deliberate on building a sustainable future rooted in Goa’s rich architectural heritage,” said CM Sawant.
In his X post, Sawant reiterated that the conference aimed to bring together experts and stakeholders from across disciplines to deliberate on building a sustainable future rooted in Goa’s unique architectural heritage while encouraging discussions on conservation and sustainable urban development.
The Chief Minister further said the conference was organised to promote Goan architecture and sustainability and to facilitate discussions with experts from across the country. He said the Goa government is committed to advancing both heritage conservation and development simultaneously.
“This National Conference, which we have organised here to promote Goan Architecture and Sustainability, in Goa we are always promoting nature-friendly infrastructure in the state of Goa that to promote a discussion with the National Level Architecture, National Level Urban Development Designers, Planners to discuss with them and to promote Goa at a National Level. Just as PM Modi talks about heritage and development, the Goa government is doing work to take forward both heritage and development…” he said.
Highlighting changing tourism trends in the state, Sawant said Goa is witnessing growing interest beyond its traditional attractions of beaches and churches. He noted that tourists are increasingly exploring spiritual, sports and wellness tourism, prompting the state government to diversify its tourism offerings while ensuring sustainability remains at the centre of development.
“Regarding tourism–people used to visit solely for beaches and churches, but today, those same people are driving interest in spiritual, sports, and wellness tourism. We are actively promoting various national-level programs that are being organised in Goa for sports tourism. Sustainability is essential; we cannot move forward without it. That is why I emphasised that, alongside Goan architecture, sustainability is of utmost importance for the state. We are definitely in talks with other states as well as other countries,” said Sawant.
The conference was attended by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade and several architects, planners, conservationists, engineers, policymakers, academicians and students from across the country.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister said the state government envisions Goa as a model for sustainable architecture by integrating traditional knowledge with modern technology to create environmentally responsible infrastructure.
“Our vision is to make Goa a living laboratory of sustainable architecture, where tradition and technology come together to build a resilient, environmentally responsible, and Swayampurna Goa,” said CM Sawant. (ANI)
