GUWAHATI, Dec 1: The internationally-famous Hornbill Festival, celebrating its silver jubilee this year, officially kicked off at the Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima this evening with a mega opening ceremony attended, among others, by Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Governor La. Ganesan, Japanese Ambassador to India and Bhutan Keiichi Ono, Deputy Chief Ministers TR Zeliang and Y Patton, Tourism Minister Temjen Imna Along, Bishop James Thoppil of the Diocese of Kohima along with other invited guests, foreign tourists and thousands of visitors.
Featuring partnerships with countries like the USA, UK (Wales), Japan, and Peru, along with Sikkim and Telangana as partner states, this year’s silver jubilee edition promises to be even more exiting, exhilarating and enthralling than past years.
The Nagaland tourism department is expecting at least 3-4 lakh visitors to the festival this year.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Rio inaugurated the monolith at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama.
Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister, TR Zeliang, on the other hand, inaugurated the 10-Day Multi-media Photo Exhibition on Viksit Bharat at the festival venue.
Chief Minister Rio and renowned music composer AR Rahman also inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for Music and Arts (CEMA) in Kohima.
