Workshop on "Intercultural Resources and Peace Building" conducted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 21 2025: A 1-day international workshop on "Intercultural Resources & Peace Building" was successfully conducted today at the auditorium of Government Hindi College, Imphal.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Government Hindi Teachers' Training College, Imphal, Manipur, Council for Educational Administration & Management, Manipur-Chapter, and Yelhomee Phurup, Manipur.

The workshop brought in many renowned scholars and activists working in the field of culture, rights of indigenous peoples and conflicts.

The objective of the workshop was to re-assess the overlapping & cultural affinities as a resource for inter community trust building and peace building.

Speaking on the occasion, RK Bijayalaxmi, secretary of Yelhoume Phurup, emphasised on how the adoption of new religions created social divisions in pre colonial and colonial manipur.

She also stressed on the importance of inter-community similarities and folk confluences as key tools of peace building.

Mutua Bahadur, renowned cultural activist and scholar, stressed on preserving the common State language and the significance of tangible and intangible cultural practices.

"Stone inscriptions and pictographies should be preserved before it is given a natural death.

The time has come to protect our cultural symbols by giving a space in the educational curriculum.

Cultural imitation should be discouraged", he added.

Noted human rights activist Binalakshmi Nepram also gave an insightful presentation on the rights of the indigenous peoples who are entangled in violence and conflicts around the world.

Marjing Mayanglambam, Pena activist, spoke on folk music as a source of solidarity and social healing.

Giving a presentation on 'The Way Forward', Dr Arambam Noni spoke in length on the causes of conflicts while referring to power asymmetry, subjectivity and politicisation of ethnic identities as factors of conflicts.

The workshop ended with a concluding remark from Dr Th Asha Sinha, Principal, Government Hindi College, Imphal.

Comment