Indigenous Peoples' Literature Festival Begins in Saptari

The two-day Indigenous Peoples' Literature Festival 2083 has begun in Gangajali, Ward No. 5 of Saptakoshi Municipality, Saptari district.

Organized by the Saptakoshi Municipality Ward No. 5 Office, the festival is being held on Kartik 14 and 15, 2083 BS (Saturday and Sunday). The event began on Saturday.

The festival aims to promote dialogue between literature and public policy to preserve the distinct identities of Indigenous Nationalities, safeguard their rights, and contribute to building an inclusive and just society.

According to Ward Chairperson Gosain Chaudhary, intellectual discussions are taking place on Indigenous languages, literature, arts, culture, traditional knowledge, skills, customary practices, and the protection and intergenerational transmission of Indigenous rights and cultural heritage.

The organizers have also scheduled policy discussions on constitutional and international rights, Indigenous movements, federalism, customary systems, International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 169, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), climate change, and carbon trading.

Madhesh Province Governor Surendra Labh inaugurated the festival at 11:00 AM on Saturday.

The opening ceremony and festival sessions are scheduled to feature addresses by Madhesh Province Speaker Ram Ashish Yadav, Chairperson of the Indigenous Nationalities Commission Ram Bahadur Thapa Magar, Central Chairperson of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities Nima Lama Hyolmo, Lumbini Province Tourism Minister Tulsi Tharu, Madhesh Province Assembly Member Raj Kumar Lekhi, former Constituent Assembly Member Pasang Sherpa, and Acting Head of the Tharu Commission Subodh Singh Tharu.

Other scheduled speakers include Lucky Chaudhary, Central Chairperson of the Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities Journalists (FoNIJ); Bimal Saru Magar, General Secretary of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities; former General Secretary Ang Kaji Sherpa; Tashi Lama, Chairperson of Panchpokhari Thangpal Rural Municipality; Devraj Chaudhary, Chairperson of Katahari Rural Municipality; and Professor Pasang Dolma Sherpa.

Indigenous rights activists from neighboring India are also scheduled to share their views. They include Vijay Bahadur Chaudhary, President of the Indigenous Nationalities Welfare Federation in Uttar Pradesh, and Shailendra Gadhwal, President of the Tharu Welfare Federation in Bihar.

According to Sarita Chaudhary, a member of the festival's Publicity Committee, approximately 1,000 people from Indigenous communities are participating in the event, representing around 45 districts of Nepal and the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The festival has brought together elected representatives, writers, artists, journalists, young people, students, and representatives of various organizations.

According to the organizers, the two-day event will also feature songs, dances, literary works, and poetry reflecting the distinct cultural identities of different ethnic communities.