In a state fractured by ethnic conflict and mistrust, students from Meitei, Kuki and Naga communities have raised a shared voice for peace and coexistence through a programme titled “A Hymn for Peace” at Tangkhul Baptist Church, Imphal, on November 4.
Jointly organised by Needy Home Academy (NHA) and Sorshia Christian College (SCC), the programme featured choral performances, student presentations, testimonies, drama and messages of peace.
According to a press release issued by SCC Director Dr. Atom Sunil Singh, the programme drew inspiration from Mapao Zingtun in Kangpokpi district, where Meitei, Kuki and Naga students continue to study and live together despite the ethnic divisions surrounding them.
The organisers said the experience of the educational community offers a powerful reminder that coexistence remains possible even amid conflict, mistrust and geographical separation. They stressed the need to protect younger generations from inherited hatred and fear.
The programme also featured a message of peace by 107-year-old evangelist Rev. R. Ayui and an exhortation by NHA Chairman Dr. R. Chance.
The organisers recalled earlier national and regional attention to the community’s efforts, including a January 2025 report by The Times of India on children from Meitei and Kuki communities continuing to live, play and sing together at Needy Home Academy. A Unity in Diversity programme was also organised in December 2025 by the two institutions and Mapao Zingtun Village Authority, bringing Meitei, Kuki, Naga and Pangal students together through cultural performances.