The India International Centre (IIC), a non-government institution that has been in existence for over four decades, is a forum where statesmen, diplomats, intellectuals, scientists, jurists, writers and activists convene for discussions. Founder-President Dr C. D. Deshmukh described IIC as an institution designed to be a meeting of minds, a place where ‘various currents of intellectual, political and economic thought could meet freely'. True to its mission, the IIC serves as a ‘bridge' for cultures and communities from all over the world. It organizes lectures and conferences to initiate the exchange of new ideas and knowledge in the spirit of international cooperation. It also hosts programmes in music, film, folk and classical cultures, and the performing and visual arts.