From Our Correspondent
JOWAI: The 7th Discover Jaintia, a festival aimed at boosting tourism and protection of the environment, was inaugurated by Chief Information Commissioner, CD Kynjing here on Wednesday.
Organised by the Jaintia Tourism Tourism Environment Society (JTES) in collaboration with the Arts and Culture department and sponsored by the Meghalaya Tourism and the District Administration, the theme for this year’s festival is “My Culture My Pride”.
The four-day festival will culminate at Dawki on Saturday.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Information Commissioner said that unless the environment is protected, one cannot preserve the culture.
Kynjing also lauded the initiative taken up by the JTES to organize the Discover Jaintia festival which looked to preserve the ‘rich culture of the people residing in Jaintia Hills area of the State.’
Earlier, in his introductory speech, JTES financial secretary, MS Lhuid informed that the Discover Jainta festival was organized annually with an aim to boost tourism in Jaintia hills.
“The festival provides with an oppotunity to attraact more and more tourists to the area,” he said.
The festival kicked off with various programmes like the run for culture, drawing and painting competition, a showcase of traditional dress mostly by women, exhibition of traditional products among others.
A march from DC Office to Ladthadlaboh playground, the venue of the opening ceremony event, in traditional attire was also organized. People dressed in traditional clothing participated in the walk.
On Thursday, at the Beach festival at Kwator- a bordering village with Bangladesh- the JTES will hold boating competition, beach race, beach football, swimming competition apart from cultural programmes.