Inter-cultural workshop in Imphal highlights culture as a tool for peace building

A one-day international workshop on intercultural resources and peace building was held on Thursday at the Government Hindi College auditorium in Imphal, Manipur. The event brought together scholars, activists and cultural practitioners to explore how shared traditions can serve as instruments for conflict resolution.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Government Hindi Teachers’ Training College, the Council for Educational Administration & Management (Manipur chapter), and Yelhoumee Phurup, Manipur.

Speakers addressed the role of cultural similarities, indigenous rights, and language preservation in building trust among communities. R.K. Bijayalaxmi, secretary of Yelhoumee Phurup, spoke on how religious adoption in pre-colonial and colonial Manipur created social divisions, stressing the need to recognise folk confluences as vital resources for peace.

Cultural activist Mutua Bahadur underscored the urgency of protecting both tangible and intangible heritage, including inscriptions and pictographs. He warned that without active preservation, such cultural elements could fade into obscurity, adding that educational curricula should provide space for local cultural symbols while discouraging imitation.

Human rights activist Binalakshmi Nepram focused on the struggles of indigenous peoples caught in cycles of violence worldwide. She called for stronger efforts to safeguard their rights, arguing that intercultural exchanges are critical for reducing conflict.

In the concluding session, Dr Arambam Noni outlined structural causes of conflict, pointing to power imbalance, politicisation of ethnic identities, and subjectivity in social discourse. His presentation, titled The Way Forward, opened a wider discussion on addressing these root issues.

The workshop concluded with a call for deeper engagement with cultural resources as a foundation for long-term peace and understanding in Manipur and beyond.