Opening Ceremonies
Key note - Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj
We are honoured to welcome Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, India’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, to deliver the Conference Keynote. From becoming the first Indian woman to preside over the UN Security Council to serving as India’s top diplomatic envoy across the world, Ambassador Kamboj’s journey is a testament to trailblazing leadership and the power of diplomacy driven by purpose.
Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, a distinguished officer of the 1987 batch of the Indian Foreign Service and the all-India women’s topper of that year’s Civil Services exam, has built a groundbreaking diplomatic career defined by several firsts. She served as India’s first female Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York until May 2024, where she led key initiatives and made history in December 2022 by becoming the first Indian woman to preside over the UN Security Council. Her trailblazing path includes being India’s first female Ambassador to Bhutan, High Commissioner to South Africa, and Permanent Representative to UNESCO in Paris—each role marked by significant contributions to India’s strategic and cultural diplomacy.
Gunsar- A traditional folk music collective
Music has long been part of its soul—an expression of energy, identity, and unity. This year, we deepen that tradition with a performance by Gunsar, a traditional folk music collective working to revive and protect endangered cultural art forms.
Gunsar’s music will flow through the Opening Ceremony—not as a separate element, but as a living rhythm of who we are: rooted, yet rising. A reminder that diplomacy is not only about what we debate, but what we defend—and who we choose to stand for. And what better way to express that spirit than through music? After all, throughout history, music has been used as a tool of diplomacy—played during negotiations, exchanged as cultural offerings, and used to build bridges where words fell short. It speaks to something deeper. It connects us before we even speak.
