The first Bodoland International Knowledge Festival, organised by the Bodoland University with support from the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) government, began in Assam's Kokrajhar district on Monday.
Nobel Laureate economist Prof. Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, Padma Shri awardee philanthropist Savji Bhai Dholakia, SECMOL founder Sonam Wangchuk, Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, BTR Chief Pramod Boro, Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Assam minister UG Brahma and Consul General Royal Bhutanese Consulate General Guwahati Jigme Thinlye Namgyl were present at the inaugural programme.
Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh said it is important to empower women in our society and he also spoke on the ill effects of global warming and artificial intelligence.
Terming the inauguration of the Bodoland Knowledge Festival as historic, Bodoland Territorial Region Chief Pramod Boro said, "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."
"The visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought an end to conflict in BTR. The Bodo Peace Accord 2020 paved the way for us to envisage a Peaceful, Green and Smart Bodoland. We are greatly blessed with the august presence of Prof. Muhammad Yunus. He is a great leader of the earth today. Also known as the 'Banker to the Poor', he is a firm believer and promoter of humanity.
I believe that God has given us two very powerful assets: the mind & the heart. Whenever there has been an integration of the mind and heart- miraculous, joyful and happy things happened for humankind," Pramod Boro said.
Pramod Boro further said they are committed to changing the life of 3.5 million people in the BTR after a four-decade-long violence-torn journey.
The thematic area of the Bodoland International Knowledge Festival is the achievement of social development priorities and key Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 in contemporary BTR and the world.
More than 300 delegates from across India and 35 international delegates from 14 countries have invited and more than 10,000 participants are taking part in the Knowledge Festival.
The Knowledge Festival will continue till March 2.
( With inputs from ANI )
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