Assam: International Museum Day celebrated in Dibrugarh

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: In celebration of International Museum Day, the Directorate of Museums, Assam took an initiative where a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Directorate of Museums, Assam, and Dibrugarh University on May 18.

The MoU, signed by Arindom Barua, Director of Museums, Assam, and Dr Prasanta Kumar Kakati, Registrar in-Charge, Dibrugarh University, in the presence of Dibrugarh University Vice-Chancellor Prof Jiten Hazarika, represents a major step forward in academic and cultural collaboration for heritage research and conservation.

As part of the celebrations, a two-day International Conference on ‘Reimagining Heritage Conservation: Innovative Strategies for Sustaining Cultural Landscapes and Narratives in Diverse Communities’ was organized in collaboration with Dibrugarh University.

The inaugural session featured dignitaries such as Prof Jiten Hazarika, Vice-Chancellor, Dibrugarh University, Laxaman Boomreng, Director, and Korrakech Panich, Curator, from Khon Kaen National Museum, Thailand and Dr Sangeeta Gogoi, Director of Historical and Antiquarian Studies, Assam.

The welcome address was delivered by Arindom Barua, and the vote of thanks by Bijoylakshmi Borah, District Museum Officer, Dibrugarh.

The Directorate of Museums, Assam, brought its flagship initiative ‘Museum on the Move’ to Dibrugarh University, fostering a dynamic engagement with heritage through exhibitions, workshops, and an international conference.

A special exhibition on the Moidams of Charaideo, Assam’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, was showcased along with a Conservation Corner and Publications Corner. These installations aimed to raise awareness about the cultural significance of Tai-Ahom heritage and the importance of conservation efforts. Complementing the exhibition, a clay modelling workshop was conducted by Hemanta Saikia, Artiste-cum-Modeller of the Assam State Museum.

A total of 31 students participated, gaining hands-on experience with traditional art forms and conservation practices. The seminar featured a total of around 60 papers and the papers were presented in both online and offline mode.

These papers were contributed by scholars from renowned institutions such as the Indian Institute of Heritage, Noida, Delhi University, Hyderabad University, Cotton University, Guwahati University, Dibrugarh University, Intangible Cultural Heritage division, INTACH, Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan, Nagaland University, and many others, covering a wide range of significant and insightful topics.

The second day of the conference, held on May 19, saw the presentation of 30 scholarly papers, 14 offline and 16 online, by researchers and professionals from a wide range of disciplines. The first offline technical session was chaired by Dr Sangita Gogoi, Director of Historical and Antiquarian Studies, Assam, while the first online session was chaired by Dr Bhagyashree Sharma, Assistant Professor, Department of Assamese, Dibrugarh University.

The second offline session was chaired by Dr Gitanjali Devi, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Dibrugarh University, and the second online session was chaired by Mridusmita Kalita, District Museum Officer, Barpeta.

The conference concluded with a valedictory session marked by the presence of distinguished guests and the distribution of certificates to all participants. With vibrant academic discourse and enthusiastic participation, the conference successfully provided a platform for reimagining the future of heritage conservation in diverse cultural contexts.

Also Read: Tezpur University, Silpakorn University Sign MoU for Academic Collaboration

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