Dr. Malama Meleisea, director and country representative of UNESCO, said that when approached for funds, UNESCO was happy to provide the organisers with assistance to demonstrate its commitment. Dr. Meleisea stressed that UNESCO wishes to promote cultural diversity. So far they have published an atlas of languages of the Hill Tracts and a survey of musical instruments used by the indigenous communities living there.

Saw Hla Prue, son of the Bohmong Raja, said that it was the first time that the ethnic traditions and art of Bandarban had been focused on in a comprehensive way. He said the people there were trying to retain their own manners, laws, heritage and culture. According to Prue, "The festival was well worth watching."

Speaking at the exhibition featuring paintings on indigenous communities and their lifestyle, being held at Drik gallery, Dhanmondi, Laurent Jalicous said, "The Chittagong Hill Tracts, in a limited space, have 13 independent indigenous groups -- each with its unique culture. Not many places in the world can claim to have such a mosaic of languages, heritage and traditions.

He added, "The situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is, without any doubt, difficult and yet the unique identity of the indigenous people is still clear, if not undamaged, despite efforts to erase it. "

Jalicous also said that every time he went to the Bandarban district, he was touched by the generosity of the people and also by the scenic beauty of the region. The green trees after the rainy season as well as the brown vegetation under the gleaming sun, the yellow drying patches of the 'jhum' cultivation -- all breathtaking. He also talked about the art exhibition with the different mediums and techniques.

Speaking about her experiences at the Fine Arts Institute, DU, when she first came here to study in 1978, as the only indigenous student, Kanakchanpa Chakma said that she felt lonely at first but with time, the teachers and students welcomed her with open arms. It was with hard work and determination that she established herself as the first mainstream artist from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. After her, other aspiring painters came from the area.

The programme, starting from July 19 will continue throughout next month. A painting exhibition featuring works of various artists from CHT, jewellery and handicraft exhibition, an exhibition featuring drawings of the Australian artist Malcolm Arnold, a photography display by Enam Talukdar -- are parts of the programmes. Added to these will be a special buffet of Marma food, a fashion show by Debashis Chakma, a lecture on Marma traditional architecture, a debate on "Preservation of the Marma Identity", indigenous dance performances and screening of documentaries on the Bandarban district.