SENAPATI, May 24: A one day cultural and musical exchange program under the theme ‘Building relations through music’ was held today at Senapati Mini stadium organized jointly by the Senapati district students association (SDSA) and Kuki Students organisation (KSO) Sadar Hills in association with Student Mobilization Initiatives Learning through Exposure.
The cultural function was attended by Franchise Najokpa, Minister Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Nemcha Kipgen MLA Kangpokpi Assembly constituency and other MLAs of Senapati district, leaders of different community church leaders and the student of school and colleges.
Giving the welcome address of the program, L R John President SDSA said that the One day cultural and musical exchange program between the various communities in the area is being organized jointly for the collective search of peace and harmony and in the belief that knowing and understanding each other is a pre requisite. “The program is being organized to augment the outmost desire to maintain good relationship and peaceful co-existence,” he said.
“We should all forget the bitter past that the Kukis and Nagas have experienced which has caused so much pain and hardship to both communities and let the spirit of love and forgiveness resume. It is time for all to shed the victimhood mentality and stand up together,” he said, while adding that the exchange program will go on in a long way in building a lasting relation and peace between the two communities.
Thangminlen Kipgen in his key note address said that the two student organizations of the district SDSA and KSO Sadar Hills had come together and had a series of intense meetings and resolved to hold the one day cultural and musical exchange program. He further said that creation of Sadar Hills District, Greater Nagaland or a Kuki state cannot separate the people because they all dwell together.
Speaking at the function, Nemcha Kipgen MLA Kangpokpi said, “Such cultural exchanges for bringing peace and harmony is very much needed and the step taken up by the student’s organizations of the district is the first such towards peace, harmony and co- existence in the district.”
Franchis Ngajokpa Minister RD&PR said that the cultural exchange would bring one another and pointed out that the people of the district had suffered a lot in the past many years.