Samvaad, a one-of-its-kind ecosystem for tribal identity, organised by Tata Steel Foundation, is back in 2020 with the seventh edition of its annual conclave scheduled on November 15-19 and will take the conversations and celebrations onto digital platforms this year.
The Samvaad ecosystem has brought together more than 30,000 people from 117 tribes across 27 states of India and 18 countries in the last six years, and is also an event that the tribal community keenly look forward to each year.
The theme for this year is ‘Coming Together for Social Change’, representing a belief that there are inherent aspects of tribalism that places seamlessness as a core value of society, and valuable lessons in wonderful stories of tribal communities coming together to positively influence their core development challenges.
Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel, said: “Samvaad, over the years, has emerged as a promising platform that seeks to revive, preserve and promote tribal culture. We are proud to be a part of this endeavour which encapsulates tribal identity in many forms and expressions and celebrates the rich history & treasure trove of culture, music, wisdom and folklore that is integral to the tribal way of life. On behalf of the Tata Steel family, I welcome all the dignitaries, participants and the tribal community to join us in the 2020 edition and make it a success.”
“Samvaad is an effort centred around a core belief that the way of life of our tribes holds answers to some of the most vexing challenges of our time, and we therefore believe it is our responsibility to keep this journey of dialogue, celebration and contemplation going in these otherwise uncertain times. And we now bring you Samvaad 2020, in a format which remains online but is complemented by community led decentralised engagement points to converge more than 2,000 people from over 100 tribes of India and beyond. The theme for the year is particularly relevant in the altered paradigms that have evolved in the last six months, and will possibly continue in the near future,” said Sourav Roy, Chief, Corporate Social Responsibility, Tata Steel.
The Conclave will hear stories from across the country who will engage in experience sharing sessions in various areas that affect the communities and enrich the platform with their thoughts. The festival spread across five days will witness a cross-pollination of ideas among more than 1000 tribal women and men who are expected to join us online and celebrate the vibrant cultures of the different tribes.
The many offshoots of Samvaad such as tribal handicraft, tribal film screenings, tribal cuisine and the cultural performances from various tribes that contribute significantly to the essence of Samvaad will bring the traditional practices and rich heritage to the common masses through its digital footprint which include website (https://www.tatasteel.com/initiatives/samvaad/index.html) and the YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtyIjTKJAYEaMH3BkcHRVzw). Samvaad 2020 will celebrate traditional cuisines of 16 tribes across 10 States with the dishes exclusively available for the people of Jamshedpur on online food aggregator platform Zomato. The programme highlights include film screenings, master classes conducted by artisans and experts, and musical programmes.
· Cinema lovers have a lot to look forward to as tribal films will be screened on the YouTube channel, followed by discussions with the filmmakers. Around 500 schoolchildren from Jamshedpur will attend the screenings.
· Art enthusiasts will get a chance to attend master classes on Oraon, Sohrai, Saura, Gond, Warli and Rajwar Bhittichitra art forms, hosted by tribal artisans. Each day will conclude with cultural performances by celebrated artists like Guru Rewben from Manipur and Tetseo Sisters from Nagaland and cultural groups from tribes of Galo, Siddhi, Dandami Madia, Bhumij and others.
· This year will also witness the release of a musical composition as a tribute to Birsa Munda. The composition is curated by Padma Shri Mukund Nayak (Kunjban) and the Samvaad musical collective, Rhythms of the Earth.
Samvaad, an ecosystem for tribal communities across India (and beyond), was founded in 2014. The Tribal Conclave commemorates the birth anniversary of iconic tribal leader Birsa Munda, as well as the Foundation Day of the State of Jharkhand.
