RONO HILLS, 7 Aug: TRACTION 2026 residency and film challenge, a 15-day residency aimed at promoting the culture, tourism, industries and unique identity of Arunachal Pradesh through digital storytelling and filmmaking, got underway at Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) here on Friday.

Supported by the Industries Department under the Rising & Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) initiative of the Union Ministry of MSME, and funded by the World Bank, the programme is being organised by the mass communication department of RGU, in collaboration with the Centre for Cultural Research & Documentation (CCRD).

Among the attendees at the inaugural function were IPR Minister Nyato Dukam, Tezu MLA Dr Mohesh Chai, RGU Vice-Chancellor Prof Shivaraj, Nampong MLA Laisam Simai, Dr Bijay Raji from the RGU CoE, Industries Director Gyabo Pertin, Industries Joint Director Goli Angu, officials, faculty members,and students of RGU.

In his inaugural address, Dukam encouraged the participants to "experience Arunachal beyond merely as a brief visit and understand its people, culture, traditions and way of life."

Urging the 25 selected participants from across the eight Northeastern states to "grasp the pulse of Arunachal Pradesh," he called upon them to create meaningful stories that can introduce Arunachal to the world. He also suggested that the initiative should be expanded across the Northeast and developed into a regular calendar event to showcase the region's rich cultural and natural heritage.

Dr Chai in his address emphasised the important role of content creators in presenting the beauty and diversity of Arunachal to India and the world. He encouraged the participants to create authentic content, avoid spreading myths and misinformation, and use their social media platforms to promote the state's culture, people and positive stories.

"As content creators from the region, you also have a greater responsibility to sensitise people across the nation to the uniqueness of the Northeast identity," he said.

Prof Shivraj said that TRACTION 2026 provides a valuable platform to present the unique diversity of Arunachal in a responsible manner. He congratulated the organising team and the participants for undertaking the initiative.

Earlier, recounting the core idea behind the TRACTION 2026 initiative, course director and media educator of RGU's mass communication department, Moji Riba, highlighted the growing role of social media and content creators. Opining that "social media today is not just a platform for personal entertainment consumption, but also a vital option for livelihood generation," he said that the residency would provide participants from across the region with an opportunity to "upskill their creation abilities and improve viewership traction."

The event concluded with closing remarks by Industries Director Pertin, who informed that "the entire machinery of the department has been geared to facilitate and support the participants as they travel across the state."

As part of the residency, the 25 selected participants will undergo sessions on content creation, media ethics, community outreach, One District One Product (ODOP) initiatives, and GI-tagged products.

The residency will feature seven resource persons, including social media influencers, academicians, industry professionals, and tourism experts.Following the workshop, the participants will travel to eight destinations - Tawang, Dirang, Mechukha, Anini, Roing, Ziro, Pasighat and Namsai - to produce five-minute short films on themes of MSME success stories, GI-tagged products, adventure tourism, and cultural landscapes.

The films will be evaluated by an expert jury, and the top two participants will receive a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each.

The programme seeks to combine media education, responsible storytelling, cultural documentation, and tourism promotion while creating a platform for young filmmakers from the Northeast.

The inaugural ceremony also featured a folk melody performance by students of RGU's fine arts and music department, and a Tai Khamti folk performance by artistes from the Tai Khamti Heritage & Literature Society, Namsai.