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New Delhi/Kohima, Nov 17 (IANS) The Nagaland government on Monday signed an agreement with the British Council in India to make the United Kingdom a partner in the prestigious 10-day (December 1-10) Hornbill Festival-2025.
The 26th edition of the annual ‘Hornbill Festival’, which coincides with the Statehood Day celebrations, will, like previous years, be held at the picturesque Naga heritage village Kisama between December 1 and 10.
The Nagaland government and the British Council, an international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities, signed an agreement to formalize the United Kingdom’s role as one of the country’s partners in the upcoming Hornbill Festival, a tourism department official said.
He said that this agreement strengthens the ongoing collaboration between the two partners to promote cultural exchange, support creative talent and increase global visibility for the cultural heritage of Nagaland.
According to the official, the agreement was signed in New Delhi on Monday by Chief Minister Nephew Rio and Alison Barrett, Director of the British Council in India, in the presence of British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron and senior representatives from both sides.
Under this partnership, the British Council is working in close coordination with Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, to create meaningful programming for the festival.
As in previous editions, the British Council is bringing an artist from the UK to participate in the festival.
This year Scottish artist Ruairidh MacLean (Rumac) will be performing on 2 December.
The official said the festival not only showcases incredible talent but also creates a vibrant space where audiences can connect with contemporary UK music.
“For visiting musicians, this is a chance to experience the culture of a region of India whose deep musical traditions feel familiar and inspiring – and a chance to form lasting friendships, collaborations and creative connections along the way.”
“This is a great opportunity for UK musicians to connect, learn and network and build cultural connections with a region of India whose rich musical traditions resonate strongly with them,” Adhikari said.
On the occasion, CM Rio said, “Nagaland is honored to welcome the United Kingdom as our country partner for this year’s Hornbill Festival.”
This partnership reflects our shared values and strong commitment to cultural exchange, cooperation and people-to-people ties, he said.
He said, the UK’s participation will enrich the festival and open new avenues of cooperation in culture, tourism, education and enterprise.
CM Rio said: “We look forward to welcoming our friends from the United Kingdom to the land of festivals.”
British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron said, “The UK is proud to once again support the incredible Hornbill Festival as Country Partner. The deep personal and cultural connections between the UK and India, our living bridge, make this partnership so special. Welsh, Naga and Khasi artists performed together at the festival’s silver jubilee last year. It is fantastic to be able to follow it up with Scottish music this year.”
Alison Barrett, Director of the British Council in India, said, “We are delighted to partner with the Government of Nagaland for Hornbill 2025. This collaboration will enable UK artists and experts to understand the remarkable diversity of India and engage meaningfully with audiences in Nagaland, creating sector dialogues in culture and education, and contributing to knowledge-sharing that strengthens the creative and educational ecosystem.”
Ahead of her performance at this year’s edition of Hornbill 2025, Scottish artist Ruairidh Maclean (Rumac) shared, “I’m thrilled to be performing at the Hornbill Festival this year, in a part of the world I’ve never had the chance to visit before. I’m looking forward to experiencing the cultural performances in Nagaland and bringing a little bit of the Highlands of Scotland with me, hope you enjoy what I do! Slante!”
–IANS
SC/KHz