Kohima, Oct 2 (PTI) The Nagaland government on Wednesday sought active support and cooperation from 18 tribal organisations of the state for making this year’s silver jubilee edition of Hornbill Festival a massive success.
The tourism department held a consultative meeting during the day with the tribal organisations regarding the event, which will be organised from December 1-10 at Naga Heritage Village in Kisama.
Speaking at the consultative meeting, Tourism Secretary G Hukugha Sema said this year’s festival will be a historic celebration, attracting people from all over the world.
Attributing the success of the previous editions of the festival to the combined efforts of the state government, tribal organisations and all other stakeholders, Sema said more efforts need to be given this time to make the event a resounding success.
“All these years, we have been able to showcase our land, tradition, culture and food habits, which were not known to the outside world before,” he said.
“All tourists attending the festival this time would be honoured as special guests. Therefore, all must cooperate towards providing them a comfortable and enjoyable experience,” the official said.
He said the master plan to revamp and renovate Kisama is underway in full swing and is expected to be completed by November 17.
During the meeting, the tribal organisations assured the government of their full support towards making the event a success.
Hornbill Festival is the annual tourism promotional event of the Nagaland government. It began in 2000 as a three-day event at the Kohima Local Ground in the heart of the capital town.
However, the venue was shifted to the present site at Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, around 12 km from Kohima, in the mid-2000s.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), the apex body of the eight tribes of six districts of eastern Nagaland, requested the state government to “push their demand” for Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) to the Centre so that they can wholeheartedly participate in the Hornbill Festival.