Pasighat, Feb 12: Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK) successfully organised the Inter-State Youth Exchange Program (ISYEP) from February 7 to 11, at Pasighat in East Siang district.
The program, aimed at fostering unity in diversity, brought together 25 youth participants including, 16 males and 9 females, from five districts of Assam including, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Dhemaji and North Lakhimpur.
The ISYEP program is an initiative by the Nehru Yuva Kendra Pasighat, an autonomous organisation under the union Youth Affairs and Sports ministry. It seeks to strengthen emotional bonds among people from different regions of India and celebrate the nation’s rich cultural diversity.
The inaugural session on February 8 was graced by Pasighat East MLA Tapi Darang, alongside ADC Tatling Pertin.
In his address, Darang encouraged the youth to actively engage in nation-building and to promote national integrity and communal harmony by learning the languages and cultures of different tribes in India.
Pertin in his address emphasised the importance of traveling within the country to experience and appreciate its cultural diversity.
Hosted by East Siang district, the event offered a platform for youth from Assam to interact with their peers in Arunachal Pradesh. It aimed to promote mutual understanding, foster friendship, and celebrate the region’s rich cultural heritage.
Throughout the five days, the participants took part in various activities including cultural performances, group discussions, field visits, language learning, shramdan, and life skill-building workshops.
Topics covered included national integration, leadership, community development, youth empowerment, and wellness through yoga.
A highlight of the program was the cultural night, where participants from both states showcased their traditional dances, music, and crafts, celebrating the unity and diversity of Northeast India.
The program also included field visits to Ngopok Village for a rural interaction session and Silluk Village, East Siang’s cleanest village, where participants learned from Maliyang Perme, author of the Assamese poem book Aapon Xur, and Kepang Nong Borang, chairman of the Swachh Silluk Abhiyan.
At the closing ceremony, NYK’s district officer Mahit Rabha, highlighted the significance of such exchanges in building strong ties between the youth of different states.
“This program has provided an incredible platform for youth to share experiences, learn from one another, and understand the rich cultural fabric of our nation,” he said.