Kochi (Kerala) [India], July 19 (ANI): Hailing the state of Kerala and its cultural history, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor said that it is not 'merely a line on the map' but a 'western coast of India.'

Shashi Tharoor was speaking at the Council for Community Co-operation programme on Peace, Harmony and National Development in Kochi.

The Congress MP emphasised that the Kerala's history is built on the peaceful coexistence and cultural exchange. Tharoor noted that Kerala's past is 'etched' in conversations between cultures, creeds, strangers which later became neighbours.

'Kerala is not merely a line on the map. It is a poem carved into the western coast of India, where the mountains rise like silent sieges of the Arabian Sea, whispering the stories of a thousand arrivals. It is here in this slender strip of land we live in that the idea of peaceful coexistence was not only imagined, it was lived and it's been passed down like a sacred inheritance unlike many lands where histories were written in blood and borders, Kerala's past is etched in conversations between cultures, creeds, strangers who became neighbours', Shashi Tharoor said while speaking at an event in Kochi on Saturday.

Earlier, on July 8, the Kerala government decided to implement a gender-inclusive policy that will welcome entrants coming to the state.

Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas said the state government will go ahead with its action plan to support newcomers, especially women, to the tourism sector, aligning with the vision of inclusive and sustainable development of tourism.

'It is vital to extend support to the newcomers to the tourism sector, especially women, to ensure that they flourish in the competitive ecosystem,' Riyas said.

'Initially, around 17,631 women had joined the project with diverse enterprises and services. These included exclusive women tour units, homestays, souvenir units and services like community tour leaders and tour operators. After imparting training to them, tourism activities are being conducted in a coordinated manner,' he said. (ANI)