Itanagar, March 20 Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona highlighted the state government's initiatives to promote modern learning and encourage reading habits among students while inaugurating the Ziro Literary Festival at Saint Claret College (Autonomous) in Lower Subansiri district on Friday.
Appreciating the organizers for successfully hosting the festival every year, the minister said such literary engagements motivate students to cultivate reading habits and gain insights from accomplished professionals, an official statement said.
The two-day festival, held under the theme 'Celebrating Creativity for All,' was inaugurated in the presence of MLA Hage Appa, Lower Subansiri deputy commissioner Oli Perme, and SP Keni Bagra.
Leading up to the festival, outcome-based workshops were conducted from March 17 to provide participants with hands-on creative exposure.
These included a videography workshop by Aditi Banerjee, a graphic novel workshop by Samudra Kajal Saikia, a poetry workshop by Subi Taba, and a podcast workshop facilitated by Samyuktha Varma and Radhika Viswanathan.
The opening day featured a series of panel discussions. A session titled 'From Fireside to Frame: How Old Stories Find New Forms' brought together Moge Basar, Saikia, and Tage Kanno, moderated by Moji Riba.
Another panel discussion on 'The Changing Landscape of Media: From Legacy Media to Influencer Culture to AI Content' was moderated by Karma Paljor and featured Viswanathan, Varma, Vinod K Jose, and Vishal Langthasa as panelists.
An interactive discussion on 'Fear, Failure, and Finding Your Voice' featured Sayantan Ghosh, Taba, and Wulla Linggi, moderated by Ranju Dodum. The discussion also highlighted the underrepresentation of Northeast-authored books in mainstream publishing.
A creative workshop titled 'The Story Hidden in Ordinary Things' was also conducted by Langthasa.
The event also featured live musical performances, food stalls, and exhibitions showcasing the outcomes of the workshops, creating a vibrant cultural atmosphere.