Manipur University, 15/5/2024: The observance of the International Day of Families 2024 at Manipur University was in line with the importance given to families by the United Nations. The Department of Sociology, Manipur University, organized an observance function for the occasion, held on May 15, 2024, within the premises of the Department of Sociology.
The event was attended by esteemed guests, faculty members, staff, and over seventy PG students and research scholars of the university. Notable attendees included Prof. A. Rajmani Singha, Director of the IQAC, Manipur University, as the Chief Guest; Prof. Loitongbam Memcha, former Director of the IQAC, M.U., as the Guest of Honour; and Prof. Ksh. Rajendra Singh, former Head of the Department of Sociology, M.U., who delivered the Keynote address.
The inaugural program began with a welcome address by Dr. Yumlembam Khogen, followed by speeches from the presidium members. In his Keynote speech on ‘Climate Change and Family,’ Prof. Ksh. Rajendra addressed the role of family in imparting informal education, emphasizing the crucial lessons of climate action transferred from parents to the next generations. He highlighted various impacts of climate change, citing examples from international, national, and local cases, stressing the role of families in imparting informal climate education as a significant step towards saving the planet Earth.
Chief Guest, Prof. A. Rajmani Singha, lamented the degraded value system found in today’s young generations, emphasizing the crucial need to strengthen the bond and togetherness among family members. Prof. Loitongbam Memcha started her speech by asking core questions about family as the reasons for one’s existence, identity, and sustenance. She advised never to take family for granted, emphasizing the unconditional and incomparable love received from family.
Dr. Mayanglambam Lilee, Associate Professor & Head of the Department of Sociology, highlighted the family as an institution and its complex interconnections with other spheres of life like one’s workplace. She questioned the unrestrained use of technology and unfiltered models of Westernization as the main culprits of breaking the bond of togetherness in Indian families.
The technical session concluded with a round of question-and-answer sessions, where speakers responded to questions on related concepts and their impact on the family. Dr. K. Ibotombi of the department delivered the formal vote of thanks.
The observance of the International Day of Families 2024 at Manipur University provided a platform for disseminating the crucial roles of family towards individuals, society, and the broader goal of mitigating climate calamities. The event underscored the university's commitment to accentuate the holistic role of family traditions in fostering overall well-being among the members of society and fighting climate change.