PM Modi to address major event in New York on September 22; over 24,000 Indian-Americans have registered

More than 24,000 members of the Indian diaspora have registered to participate in a mega community event that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend next month.

The “Modi & US Progress Together” event will be held on September 22 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which has a capacity of 15,000.

The Indian American Community of the United States (IACU) said on Tuesday (August 27, 2024) that over 24,000 Indian Americans have registered to attend the mega event that Mr Modi will be taking part in.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address the high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 26, according to a provisional list of speakers released by the UN.

The IACU said in a statement that registrations for the Uniondale, Long Island, event were made through 590 community organizations, all of which signed up as welcome partners, from across the United States.

While Indian-Americans from at least 42 states are expected to attend, the response has been particularly strong in the tri-state area, he said.

“We are committed to ensuring that as many people as possible can participate in this historic event,” said a key event organizer.

“We will do our best to expand placement opportunities and coordinate with our hosting partners to prioritize final seat allocations to those who confirm their attendance.”

IACU said the 'Modi & US' event promises to be an important gathering celebrating the interconnected diversity of the Indian-American community.

Participants and participating organizations will represent a broad spectrum of religious communities, including members of the Jewish, Zoroastrian, Jain, Christian, Sikh, Muslim and Hindu communities. They will also represent a cross-section of India's diverse languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Punjabi, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati and others, the IACU said.

In addition to a speech by Prime Minister Modi, the event will feature cultural performances and appearances by prominent Indian-Americans from business, science, entertainment and the arts.

A non-profit organization, the Indian American Community of the United States (IACU) promotes understanding and unity within the Indian American community through cultural events and public programs.

Earlier this month, sources said preparations were in full swing for the community event on Long Island, which will take place 10 years after Prime Minister Modi addressed a massive community gathering at the famous Madison Square Garden in New York in September 2014, just months after taking office as prime minister and visiting the city to attend the annual high-level session of the General Assembly.

In 2019, Mr Modi addressed the Howdy Modi community event at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, where he was joined by former President Donald Trump. This year’s visit to the US comes just weeks before the November presidential election, with a presidential race between Mr Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, the first woman of black and Indian descent.

This year, the high-level general debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly will be held from September 24 to 30. According to the provisional list of speakers for the general debate released by the UN on Monday, the Indian Prime Minister is expected to address the high-level session on the afternoon of September 26.

The list is not final and the UN publishes updated provisional lists of speakers in the weeks leading up to the high-level session to reflect any changes in participation, timings and speaking slots for leaders, ministers and ambassadors.

Mr Modi was sworn in as India's prime minister in June for a historic third term and last addressed the annual high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2021.

Prime Minister Modi also visited the UN headquarters on June 21 last year, leading the historic commemoration of Yoga Day on the North Lawn of the world body's headquarters before heading to Washington DC for a state visit hosted by former President Joe Biden.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will present his report before the start of the general debate, followed by an address by the President of the 79th session of the General Assembly.

Mr. Guterres is also convening the ambitious Future Summit at UN Headquarters during the high-level week, with action days scheduled for 20-21 September and the Summit scheduled for 22-23 September.

World leaders will gather at the United Nations to adopt the Compact for the Future, which will include as annexes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations.

The Summit is a high-level event, bringing together world leaders to forge a new international consensus on how we can deliver a better present and secure the future, the UN said.