Immanuel College, Dimapur and Jubilee Memorial College commemorated World Heritage Day on April 18 with a cultural event.
At Immanuel College, the programme was organised by the Department of History in collaboration with IQAC, under the theme “Revisiting the Roots 4.0.”
Delivering the keynote address, Assistant Professor Dr. Merensenla Jamir underscored that in Nagaland, heritage is not merely culture but identity, deeply rooted in traditions, stories, songs, festivals, dialects and ways of life. “For the Nagas, heritage is not something we visit; it is something we live,” she stated.
Speaking on the global theme “Emergency Response for Living Heritage in Contexts of Conflicts and Disasters” alongside the college theme, she noted that traditional knowledge and cultural practices often become essential for survival and recovery in times of crisis. She emphasized preservation of both tangible and intangible heritage and urged younger generations to take pride in their cultural inheritance.
The event featured cultural performances including enactment of Ao folklore depicting the tragic love story of Etiben and Jina, Phom folk song, traditional war dance, indigenous games, and display of Naga ethnic cuisine, all serving as expressions of living heritage.
Meanwhile, the event at Jubilee Memorial College was held under the theme “Between Faith and Ancestry: Negotiating Indigenous Identity in Christian Naga Society.” Organised by the Department of History, this marked the fifth consecutive year of observance, reflecting its commitment to promoting awareness and discussion on heritage-related issues.
As part of the programme, an essay competition was conducted with 20 students participating. Winners were awarded certificates and cash prizes, while the first and second prize recipients delivered short talks based on their essays, offering diverse perspectives on the relationship between faith and indigenous identity.
In another development, Dimapur Government College (DGC) concluded a two-week online National Workshop on Research Methodology from April 7 to 17, organised by its Research & Development Cell in collaboration with IQAC and sponsored by ICSSR-NERC.
According to a press release, the workshop registered 867 participants comprising university and college teachers and research scholars from across India and abroad, including Malaysia, Uganda, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, reflecting its global academic reach.
Valedictory guest and former Ex Officio Director, Higher Education, V. Lovitoly Sema, congratulated the organisers and expressed hope that the programme would strengthen research capacity, empower teachers and scholars, and contribute to building a stronger research ecosystem in line with NEP 2020. She stressed that research must provide solutions to societal problems.
Closing remarks were delivered by Assistant Professor Dr. H. Atoholi Sema, while vice principal Dr. Meripeni Ngully proposed the vote of thanks.
