Culture Nurtures Unity : "Culture is a collective word. It nurtures people, nurtures communities, empires, nations. It is an identity, not only clothes, art, art forms but also thought and behavior and in the way we relate to the known and the unknown. It defines the Macro Person called the community and its relationship with the Micro Person called the individual. It brings unity and not uniformity, for the culture celebrates variety. Lack of understanding of this strength leads to conflicts; clear understanding leads to meaningful, sustainable and harmonious development. Development takes place when culture, cultural forms are validated to meet the needs of the time."
In 1993, Vivekananda Kendra established Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture (VKIC), Guwahati. Significantly situated on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra the VKIC envisions its role as the Intellectual Fountainhead for India's Northeast. It focus on Seminars, Research, documentation, lectures-cum-discussion by directly involving the communities concerned to :
- Understand the richness of our traditional systems and identify the unifying elements that bind us
- Reflect on how best to provide meaningful continuity to these practices in a fast-changing complex lifestyle.
- Inspire leadership with the idea of "Development Through Culture"
VKIC's Operational Plan:
- Documentation project to record the multifarious elements of the NorthEast Indian Culture life, as also the current trends.
- Compilation of available published material on the cultural life of NorthEast India.
- Organise periodic lectures, seminars, workshops, discussion and exhibitions.
- Undertake research and start a data-bank on the basis of field data collected through various documentation projects for the benefit of scholars and researchers.
For more information please visit VKIC.ORG
