SHILLONG: Life is not about the destination, but the journey. That was the message at the inaugural YouthMENTORS@Avenues seminar at the KJP Synod Conference Centre here on Thursday where four inspiring mentors were brought together before an audience of around 100 youth to share their life stories in order to encourage and create a spark in the young adults.
Coming from a range of backgrounds, the four speakers – fashion designer Daniel Syiem, green architect and marathon runner Gerald Pde, breakout performer Merlvin Mukhim and Avenues founder and social entrepreneur Mark Stone Laitflang – shared their experiences around a theme of ‘Living Your Passion’.
Also present were Summersalt frontman Kit Shangpliang and noted social worker Farida Warjri, who said she felt “recharged” after listening to the speakers.
“This initiative of youth mentoring is definitely a felt need in our city and our state,” she said as she moderated a panel discussion later in the programme.
Pde, who runs the distance of a half marathon almost every day, focused on discipline and hard work, while also drawing attention to the need for compassion within competition, while Syiem shared the very moving story of his life that required him to overcome self doubt and fear on his path to being a celebrated Meghalaya fashion designer who wants to be a “pioneer of change, to protect and promote the traditional weaving practices and material (known as ryndia) of the state.”
Another big draw was the speech by Mukhim, who was the lead actor in the national award-winning film Ri: homeland of uncertainty.
“The power of passion,” Mukhim said, “is that you can’t fake it. Taking the first step is the hardest part, but life without passion is impossible.”
During the panel discussion, Mukhim, said that it is hard for the film industry to grow in Meghalaya due to bureaucratic hurdles that have to be overcome.
“In the area of music we are more or less all right. But the biggest challenge has been in the area of filmmaking because, as of now, Meghalaya really does not have any of the required infrastructure.There is so much piracy and absolutely no government assistance at all,” he said, but he recognised that the National Film Award that ‘Ri’ earned has caught the eye of officials and hopes that positives moves forward will be made.
Laitflang took the audience back to their childhood, trying to get them to remember what they first wanted to be when they grew up, inciting varied responses.
“Joy is something money can’t buy,” he said, adding that people can make a difference if they focus on five things: seizing opportunity, being patient, having perspective, respecting others, having faith in one’s dreams and, most importantly, love.
Also in attendance on the day was Aiban Swer of the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority.
Speaking frankly to the gathering, he said saw the mentoring programme as a chance to develop the next generation of leaders.
“Once we have leaders, no one can take us for a ride,” Swer said. “This is a first step and I am happy to help take this initiative forward.”
Although it was not the original purpose behind the idea, Laitflang said that these seminars can act as a form career counselling.
“There are so many job programmes and career counselling activities taken on by the government or colleges by people with ‘book learning’, but this unique take on the idea is the most effective,” he said after the seminar.
“Today has been a very special day,” he said of the first of a planned series of seminars. “And I hope that this idea of helping the youth explore their career options by bringing them into contact with individuals who are proven success stories evolves into a regional movement as well.”