India’s first feminist publishing housing, Zubaan Book and Heinrich Boll Foundation, in collaboration with Morung Express, organized a two-day festival on “Cultures of Peace” which commenced at Tetso College in Dimapur on Friday. It will culminate at Hotel Acacia on Saturday.
The chief highlight of day one of the festival was a panel discussion among veteran journalist Kalpana Sharma; human right activist, Tungshang Ningreichong; and dean, School of Social Sciences and Humanities at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Guwahati, Xonzoi Barbora.
The panel discussion was moderated by TISS professor, Yengkhom Jilangamba, and it was followed by a Q&A session where students and dignitaries asked panellists various pertinent questions.
Kalpana Sharma, stressing on the need to evolve and assimilate with the changing times, urged those present to imbibe in themselves a questioning spirit instead of relying on the old-school system of obedience.
She also touched upon ‘global culture’ where good practices of the earlier generation are retained and incorporated with new age ideals and values that are acceptable.
The second panellist, a human right activist who also runs ‘The Family Kitchen’, Tungshang Ningreichong, spoke on how the Nagas had inherently chosen to resolve disputes through dialogue, citing to letters written by A Z Phizo in 1947 when he was in jail and during the plebiscite in 1951.
On the current scenario in the state, she said that people had increasingly become more violent even without the use of guns. “Peace is not only the absence of killings but how we interact with other communities,” she added.
Panellist Xonzoi Barbora, spoke about two ways in which culture can be viewed: the “Known Way” which is the traditional way in which people have been trained, and the “New way”, which is the contemporary way in which people have learnt to accommodate each other despite hostility and sharp differences.
Earlier in the program short introductions were given by representatives of the three organizers and editor of Morung Express, Akum Longchari.
Urvashi Butalia of Zubaan Books, in her introduction stated that the festival in Nagaland was the seventh edition of Cultures of Peace. She added that two festivals are held every year: one in the mainland and the other in a town or city in the North East.
Chock Tsering of Heinrich Boll Foundation — India, in his introduction, outlined the initiatives taken up the ‘Green Political Foundation’ started in Germany in the late 70s.
Morung Express editor, Akum Longchari whose publication is also a partner with Zubaan and Heinrich Boll Foundation, quoted Italian writer, politician and political theorist, Antonio Gramsci as having said “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born.” Akum asserted that culture was meant to invent a world in response to our own needs, dreams and aspirations. He also laid stress on the need to find a way out of the unhealthy symptoms society was currently living with.
The second session consisted of three workshops: on Writing and Journalism by graphic novelist Parismita Singh and journalist Tongam Rina; Social Media Activism with Japleen Pasricha; and a session on the basics of photography with Zubeni Lotha.
Students and lecturers from various colleges attended Day 1 of the ‘Cultures of Peace’ workshop. The workshop began with a traditional chant by president of Naga Overseas Association, professor Visier Sanyu. Both the sessions were moderated by coordinator for cultures of peace, Dimapur, Aheli Moitra.