The festival, organised by the Asian Confluence, India, East Asia Centre, Shillong, in collaboration with the state government and the Maulana Abul Kamal Azad Institute of Asian Studies, is a celebration of the spirit of commonality between the North Eastern states and neighbouring countries through rivers of the region.
It is aimed at offering the participants a great networking platform with access to both intellectual as well as entertainment events, with a special focus on the shared borders with Bangladesh.
Delivering the inaugural address, Sangma said the festival through dialogue and engagement with stakeholders, would pave way for effective convergence and "actionable" for using rivers for mutual benefit and prosperity in the region.
"We need to look at the holistic system of managing our rivers and have a comprehensive action plan involving all stakeholders to ensure that rivers, through scientific usage, become a source of prosperity to all," Sangma said.
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He stressed on importance of waterways and on the need to use the natural course of rivers for cheap and environment friendly transportation.
"...To ensure the hydrology of rivers remain sustainable, we also need to see that the state is capable of taking care of the sustainability of the livelihood of the people who are in upstream and catchment areas," he added.
The highlights of the festival, besides a policy dialogue and stakeholder meetings, include live exhibitions on yarns and dyes, cultural programmes, crafts bazaar, performing arts of border areas, special evening performances by top dance, music and theatre troupes of Bangladesh and NE region.