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Tongpang Ozukum addresses the inaugural programme of the LKM conference, on Tuesday at Ahkoya village in Mokokchung district.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Akhoya, Jan. 8 (EMN): The 32nd general conference of the Langpangkong Kaketshir Mundang (LKM) began at Akhoya village in Mokokchung district on Tuesday. More than 1, 500 delegates from 19 units are attending the four-day conference and sports tournament.
On January 8, the minister for Public Works department Tongpang Ozukum inaugurated the LKM tournament at P Telutemjen Ao ground, in Akhoya.
Speaking during the inaugural function, the minister said that the LKM tournament was a tradition that has been held coinciding with the general conference. He asserted that many young talents from Langpangkong range has been promoted over the years through this tournament. They have achieved success in their sporting careers, he claimed.
The minister has urged the organisation to continue organising the tournament and make it even bigger eventually with each session. He urged them to do so with a vision to ‘produce many sporting personalities from the range.’
Ozukum said that the tournament was not only a triennial event for the people of Langpangkong range but one of the prestigious events in Mokokchung district. He said it may be considered one of the major tournaments in the state of Nagaland. As a major tournament, he said, it not only brings pride to the people of Langpangkong range but also responsibility along with it.
In this regard, Ozukum urged the organisation to conduct games and sports and use it as building blocks to fostering strong relations and unity among various LKM units. He appealed to the citizens and spectators to cheer the teams ‘positively instead of creating nuisance.’ To the players, he urged them to promote the spirit of sportsmanship. He challenged the players to maintain ‘good team spirit’ and to promote unity among the people and community throughout this event
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Merangkong unit leaders, the defending champions of the LKM tournament, light the LKM conference torch, on Tuesday at Ahkoya village in Mokokchung district.[/caption]
Another word that Ozukum had was for students. He advised the students of the region to preserve the ‘glorious legacy’ of their forefathers and follow in their footsteps. However, the minister warned them not to dwell on past glories alone.
In this connection, he called upon the students to let their forefathers’ qualities such as dedication, sacrifice, and unity as their foundation, and to ponder on core issues of society and people that would lead the people forward.
The four-day general conference and tournament will culminate on January 11. Intense football matches and volleyball matches (both men and women) will be played between various units of the organisation.
More than 10, 000 spectators witnessed the grand opening ceremony, updates on Wednesday informed. During the opening ceremony, a local performance group Faith in Action entertained the crowd with outstanding martial arts skills.