Indore, Feb 18 (IANS): Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Saturday said the South Asian countries must work in tandem to achieve the goals for peace and prosperity of the people.

"We in South Asia have not only a shared history, a contiguous geography, but also a shared destiny," Mahajan said in her inaugural speech of the South Asian Speakers' Summit from February 18-20.

"We must work in tandem to achieve the goals for peace and prosperity of our people," she said.

She stressed that Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have set global priorities for the progress of humanity.

"The SDGs emphasise on achieving a balance between the three pillars of economic growth, social development and environmental protection," Mahajan said.

"I personally feel that this approach somehow was very much required in our contemporary growth and development strategy."

"In my view immediate relevance of the goals to the local priorities at the national and sub-national levels actually holds the key," she said.

"I strongly feel that development at the cost of our culture is not sustainable," the Lok Sabha Speaker pointed out.

Mahajan said the past tells us how civilisational strengths may steer us through the contemporary challenges.

Emphasising on the development of the people, she said: "I must also mention here that first and foremost is the citizen. No development is possible and sustainable unless it has a human face."