Mayong: As part of the 4th India–Africa Forum Summit 2026, a special Painting Campaign was organised on May 21 at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary by the North East Zone Cultural Centre in collaboration with Lalit Kala Akademi under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, with support from the Ministry of External Affairs.
Artists from several African countries participated in the programme under the theme “India through the Lens of Africa.” The participating artists included Ashley Munsamy from South Africa, Amel Benmohamed from Algeria, Salaheddine Bouanani from Morocco and Wanja Githua from Kenya. The art camp activities were coordinated by nationally recognised Assamese artist Kukima Kakati.
The programme began with a jeep safari and exposure visit inside Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, where delegates explored Assam’s biodiversity, including the one-horned rhinoceros, elephants, wild boars and wild buffaloes.
Later, a live painting campaign was organised at Maibong Resort, where participating artists created artworks inspired by India’s wildlife, culture and natural beauty from African perspectives.
An interaction session involving local media persons, forest guards and wildlife workers was also held during the programme. Discussions focused on wildlife conservation, eco-cultural awareness and the role of art in promoting environmental consciousness.
The programme team was led by Gayatri Mathur along with Naba Kumar Bharali under the supervision of Oliver T. Pongen.
Priyanka Gogoi, Circle Officer and representative of the Morigaon district administration, attended the programme and welcomed the delegates and artists. Ujjal Choudhury also participated in the interaction session and shared insights into wildlife conservation efforts being undertaken at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.
