By IANS
New Delhi : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was impressed with his visit to Old Delhi where he saw a mosque, temple and a gurdwara in "close proximity" that demonstrated the "richness of India's 5,000 year old culture and history".
Lula, who received the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding 2006 from his Indian counterpart A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Monday at the Taj Mahal Hotel here, said: "Old Delhi struck me by the close proximity of a mosque, temple and a Sikh place of worship (gurdwara) showing the richness of India's 5,000 year old culture and history."
The award, given by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), was instituted in 1965 and has been conferred on leading world figures every year.
The Brazilian leader said: "India with its different cultures, languages and religions truly fascinates the world."
Lula, who is here on a three-day official visit, said these achievements are what Brazil too was striving for where "we are building a multi-cultural society".