EMN
Dimapur, November 19
Young people, leaders in their respective fields, are ready to engage issues and devise strategies when they meet during the leadership event ‘Young Leaders Connect’ for this year in Guwahati starting November 21 till the 22nd. The theme of the event places itself on the objective of ‘rebranding’ the northeast region of India, seeking ways to bring about changes in the socio-economic existence of this largely neglected region of the sub continent. In the words of the organizers, Eclectic Publications, the focus of the event would be on building strategies for the Northeast that can bring about socio-economic stability through identifying its core competencies as a region, and developing a sound fiscal policy for the Northeast, apart from welcoming developers from outside the region. Eclectic Publications is collaborating with local nongovernmental organization YouthNet to organize the third edition of the Young Leaders Connect. The event is scheduled to be held on November 22 in Guwahati Medical College Auditorium in Guwahati, Assam. The daylong conference is conceived by YouthNet (a Nagaland based non-profit organisation) and Eclectic is associating as forum partner to bring about Young Leaders Connect to Guwahati.
“Establishing an entrepreneurial system that focuses on various key areas of entrepreneurial development such as investment in infrastructure and its management, affirmative policy initiatives, access to finance for micro and small borrowers would also be touched on,” the organizers stated in a handout that contained the schedule of sessions during the two day event.
The northeast is one of the most bio-diverse regions of the world and its rich natural resources can actually drive sustainable economic growth in the region. It is also home to India’s most successful individuals from an Olympian boxer to an IAS Officer with a vision; their extraordinary stories from fields as diverse as music, arts, sports, and entrepreneurship consistently tell you that the Northeast is also analogous to progress.
“Re-Branding Northeast aims to highlight an alternative picture of the Northeast, one that defies the popular perception that the Northeast is akin to violence. We need to urgently re-position our image as a region torn by strife to a region where a thousand possibilities take birth. This can only happen if we tell our own stories, for no one can tell them better than us. Celebrating ‘us’ would pave the way for the rest of the world to appreciate us better.”
The organizers explained that the strength of the north eastern regions states is in “celebrating and maintaining our unity as a region, thus this session involves a discussion on strengthening the solidarity of our various groups and communities, and, at the same time, providing space to dissent and contrary opinions.”
The need to project “symmetric policies for a region with more or less similar problems would be asserted,” the event managers explained. “The Northeast is one and we need to showcase this solidarity before the world at large. Everyone recognizes that joining hands for common objectives brings forth more results than fighting a lone battle.”
