The first Bodoland International Knowledge Festival will be held from February 27 to March 2 at Kokrajhar with the objective of promoting exchange of knowledge, sharing solutions for the achievement of social development priorities in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

The event, being organised at the Bodoland University under the aegis of the BTR administration, will be inaugurated by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The BTR is an elected autonomous body created under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for the Bodo-dominated areas of Assam.

BTR chief Pramod Boro said the festival highlighted the fact that the BTR peace accord, signed in 2020 in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has paved the way for the transition of the region “from guns to a culture of knowledge”.

The goal of the festival is to create, foster and promote knowledge exchange, solution sharing, partnership building for the achievement of social development priorities and key sustainable development goals (SDG) 2030 in contemporary BTR and the society in general, the release said.

Prominent academic institutions of the Northeastern region including Tezpur Central University, Assam Agricultural University and IIT Guwahati are the knowledge partners of the festival.

The valedictory function will be attended by dignitaries including Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.

As many as 19 thematic working groups encompassing several areas of human endeavour have been formed to coordinate the overall preparations of the event.

Many experts, academicians, representatives from industries will participate in the event to deliberate on several thematic areas including science and technology, livelihood, indigenous knowledge systems, gender empowerment, child rights and protection, peace building, good governance, human rights, sustainable agriculture, youth entrepreneurship among others, the release said.

Have a story to share? Email us [email protected]