Hamburg, 20 April 2012 – For visitors to the 823rd HAMBURG PORT ANNIVERSARY, this year the Hanseatic city will open the gateway to India: as a partner country, the subcontinent will present a fascinating INDIA FESTIVAL. The programme will include Indian dances and music, crafts and typical Indian cuisine. In a tent city on the Hamburg fish market site, the partner country will provide information about travels to India, economic and scientific cooperation, healing methods like Ayurveda, Yoga and much more. The Indian Cabinet Minister for Commerce, Industry & Textiles Anand Sharma will inaugurate the festival on the 11th of May, which will also kick-start the nationwide „Days of India in
Germany – Connecting Cultures“ festival.

On the waterfront near the Altona Fish Auction Hall at the St. Pauli Fish Market, visitors to the Port Festival can experience the exotic and fascinating partner country India from the 11th to the 13th of May: Spread out over 40 stalls and a large stage, the sub-continent will present itself with a three-day INDIA FESTIVAL. „The birthday celebrations of Hamburg Port are an ideal platform for us to celebrate the close and friendly ties of India with Germany and Hamburg,“ said the Indian Consul General in Hamburg, Ms. M. Subashini. She has been preparing for the festival for almost a year – along with the Indian Embassy in Berlin and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in New Delhi, and is also
being supported by Michael Wendt, who as commissioner of the city has organised several events of respective partner countries over the years.

Visitors can explore and experience India first-hand: The Indian Tourist office with its „Incredible India“ slogan will provide information on exciting trips through the fascinating sub-continent. The Indian Health Ministry will showcase the six traditional Indian systems of healing, namely, Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unnani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH). The Export Promotion Council for Handicraft (EPCH) and the National Centre for Product Design and Development will present artists and craft designers, who will display Indian crafts of varied design and also offer these on sale.

Research collaborations are also on the agenda: the staff of the Particle Physics Institute DESY, Hamburg, and FAIR, Darmstadt will explain together with their Indian colleagues about the work projects under the motto: „nuclear science made easy for everyone…“. The Indian Ministry of Shipping will provide exciting aspects on the topic „Maritime India“. The Indian cuisine will also not be missing: Restaurants from Hamburg and Ahrensburg (Shalimar, Shikara and Taj Mahal) will offer Indian delicacies and drinks under the slogan „Delicious cuisines from all the regions of India.

A colourful entertainment programme of maritime highlights
On the main stage famous dance and music ensembles from India will perform, including the group of Gujaratti folk dancers , as well as, dancers from the Kedar Art Research Centre, including the actors of the Chinh festival that will give an insight into the tradition of Indian nomadic tribes . Dance groups from northern Germany and the Bangra dancers Dhadkan Punjab Di and the group Rhythms of India and the two singing taxi drivers from Hamburg „Lovely & Monty“ will also perform on these three days. A maritime climax will finally be a visit to the new Indian frigate INS TEG, which will be on its maiden voyage and will anchor in Hamburg as its first official foreign port. The TEG was built in Kaliningrad / Russia and was handed over to the Indian Navy in April 2012.

Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles, Anand Sharma will come for the opening and launch of the „India Year in Germany“
Hamburg’s Mayor Olaf Scholz, together with his Indian State Guest, the Minister for Commerce, Industry and Textiles Anand Sharma will inaugurate the 823rd HAMBURG PORT ANNIVERSARY on Friday the 11th of May at 1500 hours on board the museum ship „Rickmer Rickmers“ .The Minister will be accompanied by economic and trade delegations who want to strengthen the contacts to Hamburg. At the same time, India will utilize the greatest port festival in the world as a prelude to the „Days of India in Germany – Connecting Cultures“. Thus, Germany and India will set forth a programme to mark the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, which had kick-started in May 2011 with the trip to India by Chancellor Angela Merkel for the „Year of Germany in India“. Indian events have been planned in various German cities.

Hamburg and India emphasize their close relationship with the INDIA FESTIVAL that will be held from the 11th to 13th of May. Both partners have been maintaining good relations for many years in the field of politics, economy, science, education and culture. The economic relations have been particularly inspired by India’s dynamic growth. A large part of the Indo-German trade volume is realized via Hamburg, and in 2011 it amounted to 1.26 billion euros. 570 Hamburg companies are involved in foreign trade with India, more than 35 Indian companies are based in the metropolitan region of Hamburg. Presently, more than 2600 women and men having Indian nationality are living in the Hanseatic city.

Hamburg and India – a growing partnership with perspectives
The main focal points for cooperation are the Chamber of Commerce Hamburg, the Hamburg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport and Innovation, and the Hamburg Business Development Corporation. Since October 2010, the „Services for SMEs: market access India,“ a project of the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI) and the Foundation IGEP New Delhi, have been advising Northern German companies in India. And in January 2011, the Hamburg Senate’s office, the Chamber of Commerce Hamburg and the Port of Hamburg Marketing opened a representative office in Mumbai.

For decades now Hamburg universities and institutes have been cooperating with Indian elite universities and research institutions. In addition, the Hanseatic city maintains a lively cultural exchange with Indian artists and cultural workers. In addition to Hamburg’s cultural establishments the resident Indian clubs play an important role. In October 2011, Hamburg celebrated the fourth India Week, an annual event that is held every two years, and presents the numerable connections between the Hanseatic City and the Indian subcontinent. The next India Week is planned for 2013. Already in October 2012, Hamburg’s Mayor Olaf Scholz, will make his first trip to India with a high level delegation, in order to strengthen the connections of Hamburg to the subcontinent.

The HAMBURG PORT ANNIVERSARY would like to thank all its sponsors, especially the principal sponsor AIDA Cruises – their support is essential to make the world’s greatest port festival possible.

Contact: Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH, Press and Public Relations
Saskia Jöhnk, Tel.: +49 40-3569-2445, e-mail: saskia.joehnk@hamburg-messe.de
Press texts, photos and poster motif for download, and current ship list at www.hamburg.de/hafengeburtstag