Tweet success
It was some persistent tweeting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that eventually got him to agree to address the Global Citizen Festival in New York?s Central Park. Hugh Evans, co-founder of the Global Poverty Project, which has organised the Festival, told The Indian Express that they had tweeted to Modi ?throughout summer?, and had visited New Delhi in August to invite him in person. They had worked with his office ?for weeks? before things finally worked out, Evans said.
Central points
Evans said he expected 60,000 people to be in the Central Park when Modi speaks on September 27. Besides global poverty, Modi is expected to touch upon subjects such as better global standards of sanitation, and ending the practice of open defecation.
Security concern
The Central Park event is a massive security headache for the SPG. Top SPG officials, some of whom have arrived in New York as part of the PM?s advance security detail, said they expected every visitor to the park to be screened, and were in close coordination with US and Central Park security teams.
Cops, roadblocks
All of New York is, in fact, under a heavy security blanket. From the iconic Queensboro Bridge, innumerable police patrol boats can be seen darting along the East River close to the UN complex. Several arterial avenues in Manhattan have been closed to the public.
Sushma delayed
Among those who suffered on account of the world?s VVIPs converging on New York was External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The heavy traffic meant she arrived late for a meeting with Brazil?s Minister for External Relations, Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado, as part of the IBSA dialogue forum. Since the Brazilian minister himself had to rush elsewhere, the customary IBSA picture was taken without him.
