Hornbill Festival hosted virtually for maiden time

The fest has rewritten tourism script for COVID-19 guidelines, to align this industry with changing dynamics of present times...

KOHIMA: Globally acclaimed the annual 10-day Hornbill Festival of Nagaland is being celebrated virtually for the maiden time from December 1. Also known as the 'Festival of festivals, the occasion attracts the participation of 16 Naga tribes. This time, the festivities are being streamed online.

Like the earlier years, the festival is being held in the 'Naga Heritage Village' at Kisama near Kohima.

Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, greeted and welcomed everyone to the occasion of Hornbill Festival. He pointed out that the 'Hornbill Festival' is the flagship tourism event of Nagaland and has emerged as an internationally acclaimed global festival. Rio also praised the festival as unique and like no other festival anywhere else.

"The festival is a celebration of the Naga tribal way of life, an extravaganza of our rich cultural heritage, that showcases the energy and vibrancy of Naga youth," he stated. The Hornbill Festival has successfully propelled Nagaland's emerging soft power into the global stage, where every Naga is a stakeholder of the selling of their own raw products. [Also Read: Top 10 Nagaland Foods with Recipe : Healthy & Unique in Taste]

The Hornbill festival also signifies unity and oneness in all aspects while exemplifying the vast cultural heritage and potential of the Naga youths through the festival. Most of the events are conceptualised, curated and implemented by young entrepreneurs, event management groups, innovators and non-government organisations that create a 100-crore plus Hornbill economy which generates more than 8000 jobs and is home to more than 500 events held across six districts of the State.

As COVID-19 has created a new normal in the country, Rio said that they are rewriting the tourism script by aligning the industry to the changing dynamics. (Agencies)

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