Rome [Italy], June 22 (ANI): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met Pope Francis in Vatican City on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister is leading a high-level delegation to Rome and Dubai. The delegation is scheduled to visit the World Food Programme (WFP) headquarters in Rome to share Odisha's "transformational journey" in food security and disaster management.

On Tuesday, the Chief Minister paid tribute to freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi at the MG Memorial Statue at the Piazza Gandhi in Rome. Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said that he is inspired by the ideals and principles of India's father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

In 2018, during the first meeting of the National Committee for the commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Patnaik had proposed that the greatest tribute India could pay to Gandhi on his 150th anniversary was to include the uniquely Indian ideal of Ahimsa, of non-violence, in the preamble of the Indian Constitution.

Patnaik at that time also quoted Mahatma Gandhi that there can be no progress without peace.

In 2019, Patnaik had unveiled the Gandhi Talisman in the Lok Seva Bhawan. At that time, he said that the Talisman will inspire all to work selflessly for the cause of the poorest of the poor.

On his way back, Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to meet the investors from the Middle East and adjoining regions in Dubai.

"He will extend an invitation to the potential investors to come and invest in Odisha and assure them all the support and facilitation by the State Government," a statement noted.

He will also have one-on-one meetings with some big investors from the region. A high-level industrial delegation from Odisha will also be present during the investors' meet for possible partnerships with the foreign investors, it added.

Patnaik is also scheduled to meet with Odia diaspora from the Middle East in Dubai and discuss with them Odisha's transformational journey over the last two decades and invite them to partner with the state government, the chief minister's office said in the statement. (ANI)