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Priyanka does a world of good
Actress promotes welfare of orphans and cancer patients in Libya
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Vivek Fernandes
Miss World 2002 and Bollywood wannabe Priyanka Chopra has just returned from her five day 'goodwill visit' to Libya.
The model and actress (she has already starred in the Tamil film Thamizhan opposite Vijay) was invited by the Libyan government, headed by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, to promote tourism and support charitable causes promoting welfare of children.
In the past, Priyanka has been involved with various social projects --- literacy campaigns for the Confederation of Indian Industry, support for the thalassaemic children in Uttar Pradesh, adult education awareness programmes in Bareilly and volunteer work for the Polio Eradication Programme.
"It was a very interesting visit," says Chopra. "I was extremely surprised when I received an email from the Libyan Government inviting me to their country on a goodwill visit. But my secretary and family convinced me that this would be a good thing, so I accepted."
"At first, I was apprehensive about going. You hear so many bad things about Arab countries nowadays. But I am glad I did. The Mediterranean is such an beautiful place -- the quaint one-storeyed houses; the crystal clear ocean, though the Saharan climate was rather dry and sunny.
"The people were extremely warm. Libya's population is only five million as compared to Mumbai's seven million. That was a welcome change, but sometimes you could not see anyone for miles. Another thing I noticed was that their streets and walls were covered with thousands of posters, though I never once saw a hoarding."
"Colonel Gaddafi, was aware that I was a winner of the Miss World pageant and they wanted to use that as an opportunity to strengthen ties between the countries. You could say I was India's cultural ambassador to the country. Apart from promoting tourism and business exchange between the countries, I also helped bring social issues to the forefront. I visited hospitals and spent time with children afflicted with cancer. And through my visits to orphanages in the country, I also advocated adoption which is still not widely accepted there," the beauty queen says.
Chopra says that though Indian cinema is yet to catch on in Libya, people were aware of the glamourous Indian film stars. "Bollywood is not very hot in Libya right now...language is the major problem. I had an interpreter with me constantly."
"I was constantly surrounded by the local media as there was a lot of interest about my visit. I had a film crew documenting each day." Among the highlights of the trip was meeting leader Gaddafi, Chopra says. "He was very cordial. I was taken to see the remains of his former residence which was bombed by the Americans a few year ago. The Colonel lost his daughter in that bombing, so that was a touching moment. I also loved the visit to the Phoenician ruins and Cerk."
Chopra returns to the grind in Bollywood after her short visit. Her schedule is packed with Anil Sharma's The Hero, K C Bokadia's Ek Haseena Ek Deewana, Kuku Kohli's Asar – The Impact, Satish Kaushik's Hum Bhi Khush Tum Bhi Khush and Guddu Dhanoa's Gandhi.
Only recently she bagged two more projects --- Sanjay Gupta's Musafir Hoon Yaaron and Aatma. With all the films progressing simultaneously, Chopra is not sure which one will make it to the marquee first. But she adds, in parting, that she is "really looking forward to a release by the end of this year".