Dimapur — The Naga American Foundation (NAF) held its biennial conference in Edison, New Jersey, on July 7 and the 8th on the theme ‘Embracing our roots and cultivating new possibilities.’
The theme explored questions of what it means to adapt to American culture while embracing cultural roots and growing as a community in the United States, NFA stated in a press release.
Rev. Dr. Louis Ao, head pastor of Stelton Baptist Church in Edison, and his wife Aienla, and their family hosted this year’s conference, providing meals, event facilities, and programme coordination.
Fr. Abraham Lotha, pastor of Transfiguration of the Lord Parish, in Highland Park, New Jersey and president of the Lotha Academy in Nagaland, was the featured speaker.
The conference also included a panel discussion moderated by Naro Pongen, associate pastor of Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on the topic of Naga identity and cultural adaption and preservation, NAF stated.
The panelists included Fr. Abraham, Christine Kumar (optometrist at DotHouse Community Health Center in Boston, Massachusetts), and Wati Longchar (manager at Deloitte& Touche in New York).
During the general meeting section of the conference, NAF president Dr. Sanyo Konyak, of Rockford, Illinois, announced the appointment of Dr. Kilang Yanger of Boston, as the organisation’s new secretary.
The conference came to a close with a cultural show featuring traditional and contemporary musical performances and a video presentation on Naga cultural heritage presented by Dr. Sanyo. M Meren, former pastor of Ungma Baptist Church in Nagaland, who is currently visiting family in the US pronounced benediction.
Dr. Sanyo thanked the hosts for working tirelessly to make the conference possible, and also acknowledged event attendees for traveling from all across the Northeastern United States, the Midwest, and from states as far as Texas and California.
According to NAF, over 90 individuals attended the event, which is held once every two years.
“Nagas have great potential to build a strong community and positively empower each other,” he said. “Together, we must continue to take concrete steps to act out the NAF mission statement of advancing and bringing together Nagas in America,” Sanyo added.
The NAF is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-political, cultural, and educational organisation that promotes and recognises Naga culture and heritage in America, the foundation stated.
Incorporated as a nonprofit organisation in 1991, NAF organises social activities and facilitates educational and cultural opportunities for Nagas and Naga Americans living in the Unites States, including the awarding of two annual scholarships - the Inavi Saghu Undergraduate Scholarship and the Aryo Shishak Graduate Scholarship.