Governor Urges Ziro Festival Team to Empower Local Youth and Protect Cultural Heritage
Governor Lt Gen KT Parnaik urged the Ziro Festival team to preserve the festival’s authenticity while creating greater opportunities for local youth, entrepreneurs and cultural communities.
ITANAGAR- Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen KT Parnaik has called for the Ziro Festival to go beyond music and entertainment by becoming a stronger platform for youth empowerment, cultural preservation, tourism and local economic growth.
The Governor made the remarks when Ziro Festival co-founders Bobby Hano and Anup Kutty called on him at Lok Bhavan, Itanagar, on August 22. The festival team briefed him on the Ziro Festival and its outreach initiative, ‘Ziro On Tour – Valley Vibe, City Tribe’, which seeks to take the music, culture, artists and creative communities of Arunachal Pradesh and the wider Northeast to audiences across India and abroad.
The most important message from the meeting was the Governor’s emphasis on ensuring that the festival translates its growing cultural profile into tangible opportunities for local communities. He said Ziro Festival should continue to inspire visitors while bringing pride and prosperity to Arunachal Pradesh.
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Parnaik appreciated the organisers for conducting the festival regularly but advised them to preserve its authenticity, protect the environment and empower local youth. He stressed that the festival and its outreach programmes should remain rooted in the cultural traditions and indigenous heritage of Arunachal Pradesh.
While acknowledging the contribution of contemporary music and international participation to the festival’s appeal, the Governor called for equal attention to traditional music, folk arts, local cuisine, handicrafts and indigenous knowledge systems. He noted that cultural tourism becomes stronger when visitors experience the genuine traditions and character of a place.
The festival team also informed the Governor about plans to take the Ziro Festival to Hyderabad, Pondicherry and Chandigarh. The organisers indicated that such expansion would require sponsorship and acceptance from the respective destinations.
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The Governor advised the team to take the proposal up with the State Government so that coordination with the concerned states and efforts to raise sponsorship funds could be undertaken. He also assured the organisers of all possible assistance at his level for the proposed expansion.
The Governor further encouraged the festival organisers to use the event as a catalyst for youth empowerment and rural economic development. He suggested creating more opportunities for local youth in event management, hospitality, content creation, cultural performances and tourism services.
He also proposed dedicated platforms for farmers, artisans, weavers and local entrepreneurs, saying such initiatives could strengthen livelihoods while supporting the broader objectives of ‘Vocal for Local’, ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ and Viksit Bharat@2047.
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The meeting therefore placed the Ziro Festival within a wider vision of cultural and economic development. While its music and creative identity remain central to the festival, the Governor’s suggestions point towards using its growing national and international reach to create sustained benefits for Arunachal Pradesh’s communities and creative economy.
Bobby Hano and Anup Kutty thanked the Governor for his guidance and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting Arunachal Pradesh’s culture, tourism and creative economy through the Ziro Festival and Ziro On Tour initiatives.
