Nagaland: Inter-State Youth Exchange programme begins at Kigwema

The inaugural programme of the five-day Inter-State Youth Exchange, organised by Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), Kohima, Nagaland, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, commenced on Wednesday at Kipfuzha, Kigwema in Kohima.
Altogether, 37 participants from Manipur, representing the districts of Senapati, Imphal East, Imphal West, Ukhrul, Noney and Chandel, will take part in the Inter-State Youth Exchange programme.
Speaking at the inauguration, additional secretary, Department of Education, Vikhweno Chale, underscored the need to ensure that the rapid advancement of science and technology does not overtake human values. She emphasize that while technology has become an integral part of modern life with both advantages and drawbacks, young people must guard against over-dependence on it.
Chale expressed concern over increasing lethargy among youths and their growing inclination towards mobile phones, and stressed the importance of remaining rooted in human principles. She encouraged the participants to actively exercise their minds and engage their hands and intellect in meaningful activities, emphasising that constant interaction and communication were the need of the hour.
Highlighting leadership, Chale said that leaders were not confined to non-governmental organisations alone but emerged from different communities, sections of society and capacities. She asserted that leadership is defined by performance and responsibility, noting that only those who fulfilled their roles effectively could inspire others.
District youth officer, MY Bharat Kohima, Kishor Barman, in his address, welcomed the participants from various districts of Manipur. He said that the programme served as a platform for building bridges of understanding, unity and mutual respect among youths from diverse cultural, traditional and social backgrounds.
Barman underscore that India’s strength lay in its unity in diversity and noted that such exchange programmes played a vital role in strengthening national integration. He added that through interactions, cultural exchanges, group activities and shared experiences, the programme provided an opportunity for young people to learn from one another, appreciate differences and celebrate shared values.
He informed that the Inter-State Youth Exchange Programme was organised annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to promote unity in diversity, and that Manipur was the partner state for this year’s programme.
He also stated that the current programme marked the first phase with Nagaland as the host state, while Manipur would host the second phase.
The programme was chaired by administrative assistant, MY Bharat Kohima, Kevisano Neihu, and invocation by pastor, Baptist Church, Kigwema, Zhavi Kere.