UGA UK has been recently set up with the purpose to meet up with the needs of Goans and to facilitate, encourage, support, energise, motivate, empower and help each other in any possible way. Barely weeks after the founding members had met to set up the UGA UK, the response has been such that hundreds of Goans have already joined the association. One of the priorities of the UGA UK is to establish a ‘Community Centre’, with a view to promote Goan traditions
Some committee members of the newly formed United Goans Affiliation UK. [From L to R] Henry Oliveira, Alister De Sa, Cosme D’Costa, Ciana D’Costa, Clarence Pinto, Micheal Bevan D’Silva, Francis Pereira, Aldin Miranda, Vernon D’Costa, Antonniette D
LONDON
A new Goan association has been officially formed with an aim to serve the betterment of fellow Goans and their families in the UK.
The United Goans Affiliation United Kingdom Limited (UGA UK) has been recently set up with the purpose to meet up with the needs of Goans and to facilitate, encourage, support, energise, motivate, empower and help each other in any possible way, according to Micheal Bevan D’Silva, president of the newly formed UGA UK.
Barely weeks after the founding members had met to set up the UGA UK, the response has been such that hundreds of Goans have already joined the association.
One of the priorities of the UGA UK is to establish a ‘Community Centre’, with a view to promote Goan traditions.
“Once established, this Community Centre will cater to most of the Goan requirements, right from teaching Konkani, staging tiatrs and other social functions to promoting Goan culture and its values to the younger generation. It will also help seniors and others to meet and keep them connected,” says D’Silva.
“In the UK, our plan is to get all Goans to actively participate, to assist everyone with a vision to work as a team for the much-needed causes and needs arising on a day-to-day basis, and in particular during crisis that we may encounter,” says D’Silva.
“Our vision, aim and objective is to build a strong solid foundation for a community centre that will be a focal point for the current and future generation. At present Goans do not have their own centre, unlike other ethnic communities.”
“This will also give us a sense of true satisfaction that we will build with the help of relevant members and as a team a happy community,” he adds.
Their website will be launched shortly giving all information pertaining to Goa and Goans. This will include photos from various activities and also add other important messages.
The UGA UK executive committee consists of Micheal Bevan D’Silva (President), Clarence Julius Pinto (Vice President), Ciana D’Costa (Secretary), Melvon D’Costa (Treasurer), Cosme D Costa (Asst Treasurer), Jose Noronha (Cultural Secretary), Aldin Miranda (Sports Secretary), Farryston Fransic Nunez (IT Administrator), Floyd Dias (Public Advisor), Henry G Oliveira, John Vernon D’Costa, Antonniette D’Silva E Vas and Savio Cipriano Pereira (Cultural Coordinators), Alister Cajetan De Sa, Francis Pereira and Suil Albuquerque (Sports Coordinators).
D’Silva said the executive committee has the skills, talents, motivation and inspiration to take forward this mammoth project what it aims or sets out to aim.
“This includes promoting Goan talents, be they children, ladies, gentlemen, young at heart, senior citizens and others to carry forward on a national and, if possible, on an international platform.”
“We also aim to promote sports events not only to bring out the best in everyone but to encourage all to have fun in all our events.”
When asked for his message to fellow Goans in the UK, D’Silva said: “Let’s all be united in spirit with our enthusiastic spirit to strengthen our Goan traditions, beliefs and family life, which is the topmost priority and keep our culture alive forever.
“With a large Goan community in and around Greater London, it is important to establish a place of our own making it an attraction for all Goans.”
