city on Wednesday. (ST)
SHILLONG: The third edition of the CALM Festival was inaugurated at the U Soso Tham Auditorium on Wednesday evening with a focus on the transformative role that arts can play in society.
Organiser of the famed Jaipur Literature Festival, Sanjoy Roy, paid tribute to what he has seen so far of the cultural scene of the North East on his first visit to the region and stressed on how the arts gives us opportunities to express ourselves.
“Each one of us dreams,” he said in his keynote speech. “We dream of a better future and it is imperative that these dreams are translated through expression into wonderful moments we can all treasure. In today’s divisive world full of violence and inequity, it is very important that each one of us begins to understand what the other wants, what the other feels.”
He also noted the role the promotion of arts can have in an economic sense, pointing out the extra revenue Jaipur has been able to generate through the successful conduct of its literature festival.
The role of government, he said, should be promoting the arts through providing necessary infrastructure.
“We need government to create infrastructure and by creating opportunities for artists they will create an incredible tomorrow. The arts create a pressure valve on a pressure cooker, which is required in a country as diverse as India. Why do governments sometimes feel the need to shut down the process of communication, to say that freedom of speech and expression is not allowed? In this new age of communication, freedom of expression is the most important human right in the world today.”
His point found support in the speech delivered by Home Minister Roshan Warjri, who said that debate is ‘key to society’.
“Divergent world views exist and we have to learn to live among and accept other people,” she added.
The chief guest on the occasion was Governor Dr KK Paul, who noted that Shillong is an inspiring place for writers such as Rabindranath Tagore and, more recently, noted columnist Jug Suraiya.
He also focused on the need to inculcate the habit of reading in today’s youth and hoped that innovative ideas can be generated to get the younger members of society interested in books again.
Other speakers on the day were Arts and Culture Minister Clement Marak and Director Matsiewdor War Nongbri. The speeches were followed by a cultural programme featuring traditional and fusion dances.