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KOHIMA — With a resounding call for youth empowerment and a plea to leverage India's unique strengths on the global stage, the highly-anticipated India's International Movement to United Nations (IIMUN) Kohima Conference commenced at G Rio School in Kohima on Thursday.
Deepaknarayan, Charge 'D Affairs of IIMUN, set the tone for the three-day conference, urging young participants to become discerning consumers of information in an age of rampant misinformation on social media.
Noting that misinformation causes fragmentation, he said the youth are equally affected by misinformation on social media platforms.
“We think we are immune to the misinformation spread through WhatsApp, but let me burst that bubble and say we are just as affected, if not more so,” he said.
Urging the youth to look beyond the negatives and focus on the positives in any situation, he encouraged young participants to actively engage in their committee sessions, learn from each other and embrace the opportunities presented at the conference.
Deepaknarayan also spoke about the demographic advantage of India, stating that the country has the world's largest youth population, which is 10 times the combined population of the UK and France, and challenged the paradox of young leaders being considered ‘inexperienced’ despite their potential.
Highlighting the achievements of IIMUN, he said: “Everything we do has been completely youth-run, and every single young person has played a role in taking this country to where it is.” He further stressed the power of the youth in shaping the future and encouraged them to build a more inclusive, tolerant and forward-looking India.
Dr. Pawan Diwedi, a professor and deputy registrar at Parul University, raised concerns over the low turnout in Nagaland during the recent Lok Sabha polls.
Underscoring the importance of citizen participation in the democratic process, he said that the 57% turnout was “a point of worry for any democracy”.
He also highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of his home state, Gujarat, which has produced over 60 billionaires in the last two decades. “Gujarat is not just a land; it's a place to learn, grow, and develop,” he said, encouraging everyone to visit and experience its unique advantages.
Diwedi, who is also a motivational speaker, warned of future challenges, particularly the impending drinking water crisis, citing the example of Bangalore, and the need for technological advancement to address such issues.
Mentioning significant investments in railway infrastructure in the country to boost domestic production, he argued that India's issue is not unemployment but lack of job creators. “We need people who can generate employment,” he said while highlighting the need for skill development and entrepreneurship.
He further emphasised the need to focus on skilled manpower to compete globally, while pointing out that India has become the most populous nation, surpassing China.
While highlighting India’s status as the largest producer of milk in the world, advancements in pharmaceutical development and other sectors, Diwedi also underscored the need to address food wastage and hunger, saying that around 20 crore people sleep without food every night.
Meanwhile, Dr. Theyiesinuo Keditsu emphasised the significance of literature and culture in shaping democracy's trajectory, citing the longstanding democratic traditions of Naga tribes. She referenced colonial records documenting decentralised governance and peaceful dispute resolution methods among Naga villages.
Keditsu emphasised the dynamic nature of democracy, advocating for incorporation of diverse literatures and cultures to tailor democracies to specific needs. She also proposed leveraging Nagaland's unique context, cultures, and indigenous knowledge to enrich democracy.
Further, she stressed the significance of understanding the past, from traditional to modern, in shaping our role in democratic evolution, while advocating for the celebration of cultural traditions to inform democratic discourse.
Aishwarya Manojkumar, senior volunteer at IIMUN, shared that the organisation initiated in 2011 with an aim to propagate the concept of one world-- fostering an egalitarian society by promoting the idea of India among future leaders.
Manojkumar outlined the focus of the 13th year, which aims to elucidate to students why India can unite nations as an idea rather than just a nation. The objective, as conceived in 2011, is to replace a highly anglicized elitist school of thought with the teachings of Gandhi, Tagore, and the Vedic times.
While welcoming the participants, Temsu Waten, Principal of G Rio School, noted the importance of youth engagement in addressing global challenges. Highlighting the role of the youth in bringing innovation, optimism and positive change to society, he encouraged the participants to approach the conference with an open mind, be well-prepared, and confidently voice their opinions.
The conference featured an entertaining segment with performances from Ethnic Fusion and students of G Rio School.