28/09/2025
Ziro Festival Partnership with Sikkim Goes Beyond Cultural Exchange, It’s About Opportunity and Innovation.
Sikkim’s partnership with the celebrated Ziro Festival in Arunachal Pradesh stands as a bold and inspiring step by Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang Golay. In becoming the first state ever to be named State Partner for this nationally acclaimed festival, Sikkim has sent a powerful message: while true progress is rooted in protecting and celebrating tradition, it advances even further when the state opens doors to new experiences, learning, and creative collaboration. Such partnerships create fresh opportunities for Sikkim’s people, expand cultural and economic horizons, and inspire the next generation to think bigger and connect beyond borders.
For the first time, a 200 plus member delegation an extraordinary mix of entrepreneurs, self-help group (SHG) leaders, young startup founders, tourism stakeholders, adventure riders, cultural troupes, media professionals, and officials from the Departments of Information and Public Relations, Tourism, Commerce and Industries has traveled from the Himalayas to the Ziro Valley. This is not a leisure trip; it is a living classroom and a marketplace of ideas.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister’s vision is clear: a generation cannot innovate if it never steps outside familiar boundaries. By enabling Sikkim’s people to experience one of India’s most sustainable and creative festivals, he is encouraging them to unlearn and learn to shed what limits growth and absorb fresh thinking from across the region and beyond.
This year marks the 13th edition of the Ziro Festival, which was founded in 2012 and is celebrated for its passion, sustainability, and strong community involvement. Local artisans construct bamboo stages and infrastructure; indigenous tribes and musicians share their rich heritage; and training programs empower local youth to design, build, and host one of India’s most respected cultural events.
For Sikkim, this partnership offers an opportunity to witness how culture and enterprise can drive local economies while preserving heritage and protecting the environment, a model that closely reflects the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s vision of sustainable, people-centered development.
Already, Sikkim’s presence has become a talking point at Ziro. The state’s dedicated pavilion is drawing curiosity and admiration. Visitors are engaging with Sikkim’s Make in Sikkim brands, tasting local delicacies prepared by SHGs, and discovering how a small Himalayan state is celebrating 50 years of statehood while remaining deeply rooted and forward-looking. Tourism stakeholders are building new networks, presenting Sikkim as an essential destination for adventure, culture, and organic living. Bikers from Sikkim have ridden across the Northeast to arrive here, symbolizing connection and exploration.
This is not an isolated initiative. Last year, Sikkim’s similar partnership at the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland proved transformative for many young participants, opening doors to collaborations, market access, and innovative ideas. These opportunities are shaping a generation that is both proud of its identity and prepared to engage with the wider world.
At its heart, this effort reflects the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang Golay a leader who believes in empowerment through exposure, in equipping youth and grassroots entrepreneurs to build a sustainable future. His approach is not about quick applause but about long-term transformation, enabling Sikkim’s people to think bigger, connect wider, and compete with confidence while preserving their unique culture and values.
In bringing Sikkim to Ziro, the state is doing far more than attending a festival; it is planting seeds for creative industries, cross-border tourism, entrepreneurial exchange, and cultural diplomacy. It is saying to its young minds: your ideas can travel, your products can compete, your heritage can inspire the world. And it is telling India and beyond that Sikkim, though small, is a confident and innovative partner in the nation’s growth story.
As Sikkim celebrates 50 years of statehood, this partnership is a living symbol of what that milestone means not just pride in belonging to India, but readiness to contribute, to connect, and to lead. Under the steady and inclusive vision of Shri Prem Singh Tamang Golay, Sikkim’s journey is not inward-looking; it is forward-moving, reaching across borders, building peace, creativity, and opportunity for generations to come.
Issued by
Yougan Tamang
Press Secretary to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim
