Meitei and Kuki Communities Share Stage in Landmark Peace Programme

Mapao Zingtun Peace Initiative Emerges as a Symbol of Hope Amid Manipur’s Ongoing Ethnic Crisis

Mapao Zingtun, one of the few villages in Manipur where Meitei and Kuki families continue to live side by side, hosted a significant peace programme on December 4, 2025, even as ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023 remains unresolved. The event, organised at Needy Home Academy, sought to strengthen inter-community trust and present a working model of peaceful coexistence.

Students from both communities appeared together on stage, demonstrating solidarity, while speakers stressed that reconciliation requires bravery, sustained dialogue, and mutual respect. Among them was Dr. R. Chance, principal of Sorshia Christian Model English School, who noted that the initiative aims to take the spirit of harmony beyond the village.

Seen as one of the earliest structured peace engagements since the conflict began, the programme elevates Mapao Zingtun as a rare site of unity in a fractured landscape. It also highlights the urgent need for wider peacebuilding efforts across Manipur, where tensions persist beneath the surface.