My culture is my pride: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein

OUR CORRESPONDENT

NAMSAI: "While marching ahead with the era of globalization, we shouldn't lose our own age-old rich culture, tradition, and identity no matter how hard the impediments on the way," said Dr Chowna Mein, the Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh.

Dr Mein as the chief guest was addressing the gathering at Namsai Multipurpose Hall during the inauguration of the maiden day of the international conference organized on the theme 'The teachings of Buddha and their current relevance'.

The conference with a great religious significance across the globe is the first of its kind to have been organized in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh to mark the decennial celebration of the founding of the Arunachal University of Studies (AUS)-the biggest infra-structural private educational center in the state established in the year 2012 wide AUS Act 2012. Around 100 participants, including scholars and researchers from different parts of the world, participated in the conference organized by World Education Mission.

President World Education Mission, Dr. Ashwani Lochan, president MEMC, Secretary World Alliance of Buddhists & Deputy President of United Nations Peace Keepers Federal Council, Goodwill Ambassador at Large - UN Human Rights OHCHR Thailand Dr. Lye Ket Yong; Vice-Chancellor RGU, Prof. Saket Kushwaha; and other dignitaries were also present.

"My culture is my pride," reiterated Dr. Chowna Mein while dwelling vividly on various socio-cultural, linguistic, historical, geographical, and other vital aspects, including the glorious olden days of the Tai-Khamtis in the region surrounding Namsai.

Meanwhile, offering gratitude to the founding Vice-Chancellors of the AUS for their pivotal contribution, the DCM felt that the day was historic for him as his vision of having an institutional centre of learning Buddhism had materialized. "Namsai is becoming an educational hub and cultural hotspot producing several multifaceted talents in various fields over a period of time," claimed Dr. Mein.

Lauding the efforts of the local talented youths for their keen interests and successful breakthroughs in the fields of cinematography, digital photography, and videography, the Deputy Chief Minister assured all support to promote them.

Stressing favorably on the need of opening the Still-Well Road, the Deputy Chief Minister said that besides cultural assimilation, international trade would flourish once the gateway to Southeast Asian countries was opened.

Significantly, the inaugural session also witnessed the honoring of various Buddhist philanthropists and bhikkhus with awards and certificates of appreciation by Dr. Lye Ket Yong who also exhibited paper presentations on the theme of the current relevance of Buddhism by academic scholars from various parts of India and South Asia during the first technical session of the conference.

President World Education Mission, Dr. Ashwani Lochan and Vice-Chancellor RGU Prof. Saket Kushwaha spoke almost in the same vein and said that the teachings of Lord Buddha are not only spiritually but scientifically relevant in present-day society to have a peaceful state of affairs across the glove in the wake of growing unrest around the world.

The objective of the conference was to bring delegates from various parts of India as well as South Asia to show the importance of the teachings of Lord Buddha which leads to the noble and peaceful life.

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