The Bodoland Knowledge Declaration 2023(https://bodolandknowledgefest.com/files/declaration-bikf2023.pdf) was unanimously adopted at the Valedictory Session of the 1st Bodoland International Knowledge Festival 2023, which concluded at Kokrajhar on the 2nd March 2023. The Declaration was jointly signed by Bodoland Territorial Region ( BTR) Chief Pramod Boro and Vice Chancellor of Bodoland University Laishram Ladu Singh at the Session after which it was formally adopted in the presence of distinguished guests and thousands of people attending the closing session. Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameshwar Teli, Cabinet Minister of Assam Urkhao Gwra Brahma, Padmashree Awardee and internationally acclaimed writer Arup Kumar Dutta, President of Bodo Sahitya Sabha Taren Boro, Vice President of All Bodo Students Union Khwrwmdao Wary were among a host of dignitaries present on the occasion.
The Declaration was proclaimed to be the principal foundational document to guide the evolution of BTR and its people to the next level of progress and prosperity while underlining Knowledge as the instrument to usher in a Peaceful, Smart, and Green Bodoland. The Declaration is based on a set of ten Articles that define the principles, objectives, and long-term goals related to the enhancement of Knowledge.
The Declaration stipulates the establishment of a Bodoland International Knowledge Centre, School of Peace and Happiness Studies, and Supplementary Research Grants for International Higher Education one each in Liberal Arts, Royal Sciences, and Commerce, among others.
The Declaration welcomed the announcement of the Institution of a Chair in the name of Bodofa Upendranath Brahma at Tezpur University as announced by the Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharyya during the Inaugural Session of the Festival. The Declaration also took note of the announcement of the Vice Chancellor of Cotton University to name a New Building in memory of Bodo Academician Pramod Chandra Brahma, and the announcement of Knowledge Support to BTR by Assam Agricultural University Vice Chancellor Bidyut Chandan Deka.
The Festival, inaugurated by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus spanned over four days and had 16 (Sixteen) Invited Talks, 17 (Seventeen) Panel Discussions, Paper Presentation on 17 (Seventeen Thematic Areas), Marathon Sessions on 10 (Ten) Thematic Areas, and 6 Stakeholder Sessions on several thematic areas. A total of 214 ( Two hundred fourteen ) speakers took part in the festival. Out of these, there were 34 International Speakers and 180 National Speakers.
The Exhibitions of the Festival attracted participation from 77 organizations, from the regional to national levels. There were 32 participants from the Educational sector, 26 participants from Governmental agencies and the public sector undertaking, and finally 19 participants from Civil Societies, agencies, and start-ups. A few of the prominent exhibitors were Tezpur Central University, Rain Forest Research Institute, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, National Skill Development Corporation, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, (ix) United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Assam State Technology and Environment Council, Indian Army and Indian Oil Corporation Limited etc.
The 1st Bodoland International Knowledge Festival 2023 (https://bodolandknowledgefest.com) ,held from 27th February to 2nd March 2023 at Bodoland University, Kokrajhar under the aegis of the Government of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) – (https://bodoland.gov.in) was inaugurated by Nobel Peace Prize Awardee Muhammad Yunus. Prominent academic institutions of the India’s North Eastern Region including Central University-Tezpur, Assam Agricultural University, and IIT Guwahati were the leading Knowledge Partners of the festival.
The protracted Bodoland Movement that lasted for several decades (the 1960s to 2020) left an indelible mark on the physical, psychological, social, cultural, emotional, relational, and spiritual aspects of individuals, groups, and communities of the region. The Third Bodo Peace Accord inked on the 27th of January 2020 ushered in a new era of peace with possibilities for fostering all-around development and progress in North East India and Assam in general, and the BTR in particular.
