THE PRINCE OF WALES' DINNER FOR THE ASIAN COMMUNITY
(15 November 2007)

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall met members of the British Asian community and celebrated their contribution to Britain at a special dinner at Windsor Castle on 15th November 2007. Among the guests was the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, MP, the author Vikram Seth, the cricketer Saj Mamood and comedian Sanjeev Bhaskar.

The Prince of Wales is keen to celebrate the significant contribution made by the British Asian community, both socially and economically. He is also keen to emphasize and strengthen the ties between Britain and Asian countries, most specifically India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. At the reception, the Prince was in a jovial mood and revealed in a pre-dinner speech that "The nearest I’ve ever been to an Asian wedding is I hate to tell you through watching ‘Monsoon Wedding’ and all I can say is it looked incredibly jolly. So at least we’re able to have you all "round to this place for an 'English', as it were!"

The Prince went on to say "Now I, for one, am enormously proud of the way that Britain has incorporated cultural influences from the sub-Continent. This process, of course, began long before India and Pakistan emerged as independent countries. Britons have long been fascinated by the depth and timeless beauty of South Asian culture. We see the sub-Continent's influence along just about every street - and not just the one which houses the Kumars at Number 42! We see it in the textiles which furnish our homes and in the clothes we wear.

If, as the saying goes, the way to our hearts is through our stomachs then here, too, Asian culture has triumphed: I am told that chicken tikka masala is now the most widely eaten dish in Britain. And whether it be that veritable British institution, 'the corner shop’, or some of our leading companies, the Asian community is making its economic contribution to this country. All this exemplifies the community’s remarkable knack for getting on with life quietly and industriously. It is something from which we can all learn a great deal."

This year The Prince founded the British Asian Trust as a body which will invest in employment and training projects in these countries, as well as in Britain. Of the Trust he said " it is my sincere hope that the British Asian Trust will build upon the links between the United Kingdom and South Asia and ultimately help strengthen both communities. The Trust will focus on creating new opportunities through training, skills and jobs and ensuring the development of urban and rural communities through the use of appropriate technologies."

ABOUT THE BRITISH ASIAN TRUST

The British Asian Trust aims to promote and creatively support The Prince of Wales’s initiatives in South Asia from the United Kingdom, working with the British Asian community and others, and will seek to identify other projects in South Asia which should be helped. The British Asian Trust is chaired by Mr. Manoj Badale, Managing Partner, Blenheim Chalcot.

BRITISH ASIAN TRUST DIRECTORS

• Mr. Manoj Badale, Managing Partner, Blenheim Chalcot.
• Mr. Salman Amin, President, PepsiCo UK and Ireland
• Mr. Oliver Brind, Director of Development of Charities to HRH The Prince of Wales
• Mr. Chris Mathias, Chairman, CMG Partners
• Sir Tom Shebbeare, Director of Charities to HRH The Prince of Wales
• Mr. Rajan Singh, Executive Vice President, Sony Entertainment Television Asia
• Mr. Moiz Vas, Founder, The Br-Asian Group
• The Secretariat is provided by Hitan Mehta.

Visit www.britishasiantrust.com for further information.