The 31st Zonal Karbi Youth Festival, organised by the Karbi Cultural Society of Meghalaya, in collaboration with the All-Meghalaya Karbi Association (AMKA), concluded in a grand spectacle at Umwang village in Ri-Bhoi.
The festival, held annually, aims to celebrate and safeguard the cultural heritage and identity of the Karbi community residing in Meghalaya. Over the span of two days, Karbi youths from various regions of Meghalaya congregated to showcase their vibrant culture and participated in diverse competitions arranged by the Karbi Culture Society of Meghalaya.
The closing ceremony of the festival was graced by the presence of Balajied Rani, the local MDC of Nongpoh, who attended as the chief guest. Sunil Tokbi, the organising secretary of the Karbi Culture Society of Meghalaya, added luster to the event as the guest of honour.
In addition to the enthusiastic participation of Karbi youths from different parts of Ri-Bhoi, the festival’s closing ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including RR Ronghang, the president of AMKA, Arnold Syngkli, the president of RBYDSO, and many others.
Addressing the festival’s closing ceremony, Rani praised the Karbi Cultural Society for their commendable efforts in organising such a festival. He emphasized the importance of such events in preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Karbi community and underlined that they are an embodiment of unity within the Karbi community of Ri-Bhoi.
Rani remarked, “Organizing such festivals is a significant symbol not only for preserving our identity and culture but also for demonstrating the unity of the Karbi community in Ri-Bhoi. It is essential for us to embrace our own culture rather than imitating others, as this is our true identity.”