The Permanent Missions of India and Mali to the United Nations jointly commemorated World Cotton Day at the UN Headquarters in New York on Oct 7, 2026.
Held under the theme “Cotton for Sustainability: Livelihoods, Value Addition and Partnership,” the event brought together diplomats, Indian Parliamentarians, and international leaders to discuss cotton’s role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, Permanent Representative of India to the UN, recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s historic association of cotton with self-reliance and dignity. He emphasised key priorities, including producer livelihoods, value addition, sustainability, and South-South cooperation.
Ambassador Issa Konfourou of Mali underscored cotton’s central role in rural livelihoods, outlining Mali’s efforts to expand domestic processing while acknowledging India as a key global partner.
Indian Parliamentarians Asit Kumar Mal and L. K. Sudhish shared regional success stories, highlighting West Bengal’s traditional Kantha embroidery and Tamil Nadu’s textile manufacturing clusters, including the PM MITRA integrated textile park initiative.
Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Textiles, presented India’s flagship programs, including the Mission for Cotton Productivity and the Kasturi Cotton Bharat initiative, which focus on quality, productivity, and traceability.
The event, which featured speakers from Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Chad, the FAO, and the International Cotton Advisory Committee, concluded with a live demonstration of Pen Kalamkari art, offering participants a hands-on experience of India’s rich textile craft heritage.
