NEW DELHI, Jan 24: Writers and poets from Assam, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Meghalaya are reflecting upon the complexity, diversity, richness and poignancy of the North East Region in the 2-day Cultures of Peace: Festival of the North East’ to be held at Indian Habitat Centre, Lodi Road here on January 28-29, 2010.
Zubaan, a leading publishing house based in Delhi in collaboration with Heinrich Boll Foundation and Indian Habitat Centre will organize the great event of the North East Region of India in the national capital.
Preeti Gill, Editor of Zubaan said that the festival of peace would showcase the vibrant writing and cultural tradition of the region and at the same time would look at the whole question of whether or not culture could play a proactive role in bringing about peace. It would also allow for people, both from the North East and from outside to talk across borders and to learn from the experience of others. Six series of seminars on peace, a photo exhibition on young women from the North East entitled Seven Sisters and the City and a music concert with musicians from the North East would be the main programmes of the two-day event.
In the first session of the seminar entiled “Writing Peace, Writing Violence”; Subir Bhaumik, BBC journalist from Tripura, Temsula Ao, retired professor from Nagaland, Arupa Kalita from Assam, Ananya Guha, senior academician from Meghalaya, Aruni Kashyap, writer and translator from Assam, Pradip Phanjoubam, Editor of Imphal Free press from Manipur and Indrani Raimedhi , journalist and writer from Assam will deliver their speeches. Nalanjana Roy, a well known journalist and literary critic will be moderator.
In the second session : The Words To Say It: Mamang Dai, writer and journalist from Arunachal Pradesh, Mitra Phukan, writer from Assam, Bijoya Sawian, writer and translator from Meghalaya, Rita Chowdhury, writer from Assam, Mona Zote, poet from Mizoram and Omer Sharif, poet and blogger from Assam will be the speakers and Preeti Gill, editor of Zubban will be moderator.
In the third session: Crossing Borders; Monalisa Changkija, journalist from Nagaland, Uddipana Goswami, poet and media consultant from Assam, Aruni Kashyap, writer and translator from Assam, Tribeni Mathur, writer and translator from Assam, Rajesh Dev, political scientist from Meghalaya, Rupa Chinai, journalist from Mumbai and Dhiren Sadokpam, journalist from Manipur will be the speakers and Uma Chakravarti, a scholar on gender and history will be moderator.
In the fourth session: Stories From A War Zone; Subir Bhaumik from Tripura, Sanjoy Hazarika, journalist and writer from Assam, Meenakshi Ganguly, human right activist from New Delhi, Deepti Priya Mehrotra, scholar and writer from Delhi, Utpal Borpujari, journalist and film maker from Assam and Pradip Phanjoubam from Manipur will be the speakers and Urvashi Butalia, a feminist and historian will be moderator.
In the fifth session: Confronting The Past, Imagining The Future; Sanjoy Hazarika, journalist and writer from Assam and Laxmi Murthy, journalist and writer from Bangalore will be speakers.
In the sixth session: Expressing The North East; Haripriya Soibam will read out a poem from Irom Sarmila’s Fragrance of Peace, Rojio Usham will present a performance based on IromSharmila’s poetry and 12 creative writers and poets from the North East namely Mitra Phukan, Mona Zote, Aruni Kashyap, Monalisa Changkija, Uddipana Goswami, Nitoo Das, Omar Sharif, Ananya Guha, Rita Chowdhury, Sabah al Ahmed, Haripriya Soibam and Nazneen Hussain will read out their literary piece.
The session will be followed by a music by a musical group called Imphal Talkies led by Akhu Chingangbam and a grand music concert by Soulmate from Shillong.
