GUWAHATI, Nov 14 ?The Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development (OKD Institute) has proposed to hold a four-day international seminar on the role played by the North-east region of India in the greater cooperation between South and Southeast Asia from November 16 in the city.
Disclosing this at a press conference here today, Director of the OKD Institute Prof ANS Ahmed said that the seminar was organised in collaboration with the Japan Foundation, New Delhi and the ICSSR, New Delhi. While planning the seminar, Ahmed said that they had something academic in their mind.
Referring to the assertions made by noted social anthropologist Dr BK Roy Burman?s theory of bridge and buffer roles of the tribes, which rejects stereotype of isolation, Ahmed said that a cultural link among the peoples was extended up to Malaysia. This link needs to be studied.
The Japan Foundation has shown a keen interest in the NE region for its resources, conflicts and mosaic of ethnicity, he said. The Foundation has also shown keenness in organising an exhibition of musical instruments in collaboration of the State?s agencies in end-2005. The Director of the Foundation Yoo Fukuzwa visited the State in September last year, Ahmed said.
The seminar on cooperation between South and Southeast Asia will have ten sessions. Scholars from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore are expected to send their papers to the seminar. Besides, a host of scholars from the other parts of the country and the NE region area also taking part in the deliberations of the seminar, Ahmed said.
On the topics being covered by the scholars, Ahmed said that the scholars would focus on the issues concerning the area?s culture and ethnicity, the emerging dimensions of information technology. There will also be intense deliberations on the gender issues, challenges facing human resources development and education, economic issues, trade and commerce involving the people, issues concerning employment and livelihood, migration and cross nationalism, polity and regional security and insurgency and the civil society in these parts of the globe, he said.
Noted scholar Dr Hiren Gohain will inaugurate the seminar at 5-30 pm on November 16 at the Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok here, while Prof Mrinal Miri, chairman of the OKD Institute will deliver the keynote address in the function. The technical sessions of the seminar will be held at Hotel Blue Moon from 9 am of November 17.