India News

By Felix Anthony

Guwahati, 2 May 2022 : The 5th Catholic National Youth Conference will be held in the North East Region in October 2023. The decision was made at the conclusion of the fourth National Youth Conference held from 26 April to 1 May at Nadiad, Gujarat.

The Regional Youth Director, Rev. Fr. John Barman MSFS along with the President and General Secretary of Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) of North East Region, Magdalene Anal and Alan Rinawma received the hosting flag at the closing ceremony.

Expressing happiness over the next national youth conference coming to the region, Bishop George Pallipparambil, the Chairman Bishop of North East Regional Youth Commission, said that the event would greatly benefit the youth of the region.

The fourth national level youth event, the first since the pandemic, witnessed the participation of over 450 youth leaders from around the country. The North East Region was represented by 56 delegates from Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The delegation was led by Father John Barman and Youth Directors from different dioceses of the region.

The five-day event had nine group sessions in which each participant shared his or her experience, views and opinions on the theme ‘Youth for a Synodal Church’. There were also workshops based on topics concerning the youth of today.

Youth from the 14 regions of the country presented their cultures through the form of music, art and dance during the conference. The North East Region’s performance was a dance show consisting of the cultures of six states from the region. The colourful cultural show received appreciation from all the delegates.

Two youth from the region, Napoleon Rongmei of Imphal diocese, Manipur and Shimtidaris Marbaniang of Nongstoin diocese, Meghalaya also received National Youth Awards for their outstanding contribution towards the youth ministry in the region. Antony Lalremdika, Aizawl diocese, Mizoram was elected for the post of Joint Secretary of ICYM.

Though the venue of the next national youth conference has yet to be finalised, it has already set the excitement soaring among the youth of the region. “It will be a learning experience for us to host the youth from all over the country in our region as it will give us an opportunity to know about the diverse cultures of the country and also to showcase the rich cultures of our region”, says Becaremeo Nongtdu from Meghalaya.

It will be the first time in the last 12 years a national level youth conference to be held in the North East Region. The last time it held was in 2010 in Shillong, Meghalaya.