The agreement was signed by Sundeep Bhutoria, Trustee, Prabha Khaitan Foundation, and Paul Holmes, Academic Lead, International, for overseas partnerships for School of Arts and Creative Industries. 

Eminent Kolkatans, danseuse Tanusree Shankar, Usha Uthup, Dona Ganguly, Goutam De, Director ICCR, Gouri Basu, Director of Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), Malika Varma, Nandita Palchoudhuri, Nilisha Agarwal and others were present on the occasion.

Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland, which has 19,500 students from 140 countries on its rolls, is named after renowned mathematician and philosopher John Napier. "We understand that literature and performing arts should travel side by side and as we have already spread our literary activities overseas, this memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Edinburgh Napier University is a step forward for performing arts and cultural exchange between two great cultural cities of Kolkata and Edinburgh" said Mr Sundeep Bhutoria. Directors of ICCR and EZCC Goutam De and Gouri Basu respectively along with others assured their support. 
 

 As per the agreement, the two institutions would explore possible collaborations and partnerships to promote performing arts and literature in India and Scotland. 

"We are looking forward to welcoming many Indian artists from the city and from India to come and perform and teach with us in Edinburgh. We are looking forward to sending our artists and performers from Edinburgh to come and do an exchange here in India," said Mr Paul Holmes, Academic Lead, International for overseas partnerships for School of Arts and Creative Industries.
 
"Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland was declared the world's first UNESCO City of Literature in 2004, the Edinburgh City of Literature Trust can help guide Kolkata achieve this unique UNESCO status," Bhutoria said.