A record-breaking 2.5 lakh visitors celebrate the festival of festivals in Kohima
Kohima, 17 December 2024: The 25th edition of the iconic Hornbill Festival, famously known as the Festival of Festivals, concluded with unprecedented enthusiasm, drawing a record-breaking footfall of 2.5 lakh visitors to the Kisama Heritage Village, Nagaland. Durex The Birds and Bees Talk (TBBT), a transformative life skills program by Reckitt, a global leader in health and hygiene, made its mark as the festival’s official Health Partner, driving impactful conversations around consent through groundbreaking initiatives.
This year, Durex TBBT made history by launching Asia’s first ever Consent Cafe, inaugurated by Shri Anoop Khinchi (IAS), Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare and Shri Thavaseelan K (IAS), Principal Director, School Education & CEO, State Health Authority. The cafe was also graced by the presence of Shri T.R. Zeliang, Deputy Chief Minister, Planning & Transformation, and Shri G. Ikuto Zhimomi, Advisor, Land Resources. With its immersive design featuring light installations, pulse connections, music and art, the cafe created a safe space to reinforce the importance of consent in today’s society.
Adding to the festival’s vibrant spirit, Durex TBBT hosted a Music Carnival on Day 2, where it unveiled the Durex TBBT Rap Album. Featuring five talented local rap artists, the album’s tracks highlighted the programme’s five core pillars – Moko Koza on Consent, G’nie on Awareness, DonKam on Protection, SR on Inclusion, and A.Hosea on Equity. The album was launched by Shri Temjen Imna Along, Minister of Tourism and Higher Education, and struck a chord with audiences, using the rhythm and storytelling to drive social change. The Hornbill Festival 2024 also witnessed the launch of Dr. Rexpert, a conversational AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot designed to complement Durex TBBT life skills programme. Aligned with UNESCO’s eight global standards on comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), Dr. Rexpert offers scientifically accurate and youth-friendly content to foster informed decision-making and healthy behaviors.
