Kohima: Nagaland University sociology scholar Repakaba Tzudir traveled to Kathmandu for the United Nations World Indigenous Youth Conference. He joined nearly 150 delegates from across Asia to discuss leadership and collective self-determination. The event ran from June 13 to June 14.
Tzudir served as a panelist during a session on the state of Indigenous movements. He used his platform to air grievances regarding the plight of Naga youth. He argued that severe unemployment levels often force young people to abandon their cultural advocacy in favor of basic survival.
He noted that everyday economic pressures often bury wider Indigenous goals. "In Nagaland, unemployment often becomes the immediate concern for many young people, making it difficult to actively engage with broader Indigenous issues and rights," Tzudir said.
The conference brought together activists from India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal. These groups compared notes on land protection and the fading of local languages. Tzudir believes Nagaland must stop viewing financial stability and heritage preservation as enemies. He advocates for community-based initiatives that tie sustainable jobs to traditional values.
Organizers from the Youth Federation of Indigenous Nationalities and the National Youth Council hosted the event. The Indigenous Peoples of Asia Solidarity Fund and YFIN covered Tzudir's travel costs. The university expects this network to bolster his future research and local advocacy work.
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