Delegates and speakers during the opening ceremony of NEIMUN 2025 at Tetso College, Dimapur on October 23.
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 26 (MExN): The 10th edition of the North East India International Model United Nations (NEIMUN) 2025 opened at Lorin Hall, Tetso College, Dimapur, celebrating a decade of empowering young leaders through diplomacy, dialogue, and civic engagement.
The three-day conference, held under the theme “Youth and Economic Security: Building a Resilient Future from the Ground Up,” brought together students, educators, and experts to deliberate on global issues and the power of youth-led change. The event commenced with a United Nations Day video and was presided over by Sarah Zhimomi, Deputy Under-Secretary General for Publicity and Delegate Outreach.
“Take up space and make your voices heard,” urged Kevithuto Neikha, Secretary-General of NEIMUN 2025, in his welcome address. Expressing gratitude to Tetso College and the young organising team, Neikha highlighted NEIMUN’s decade-long journey of connecting youth across regions and fostering a spirit of global citizenship.
Kethosino Tepa, Executive Board Member of the NEIMUN Foundation, reflected on her long association with the platform, calling it “a space where transformation begins through experience and collaboration.”
Dr. Hewasa Khing, Principal of Tetso College, praised NEIMUN for creating “meaningful opportunities for young people to grow academically and personally,” affirming the institution’s pride in hosting the milestone edition.
Delivering a special message, Benjamin Vinito, Consultant for Strategy and Design under the Department of School Education, Nagaland, spoke on the importance of diplomacy in shaping inclusive and innovative solutions.
In her keynote address, Imtijungla Lemtur, EAC, ADC Court Dimapur, underscored the role of youth in shaping equitable economic policies and aligning local actions with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Representing the youth media, Ayush Bhattacharjee, Chief of International Press, discussed the challenges of journalism in the digital age, cautioning against echo chambers and algorithmic bias. “We must rise above curated narratives and shape informed, inclusive conversations,” he said.
The opening plenary concluded with the ceremonial gavel marking the official commencement of NEIMUN 2025, followed by a group photo session and high tea.
In a move promoting sustainability, NEIMUN partnered with ZubZub, a Nagaland-based facilities management company, for a live waste management demonstration led by CEO Pelenuo Yhome, encouraging delegates to adopt responsible environmental practices.
The NEIMUN Youth Hall 2025 hosted a focused discussion titled “Guarding the Digital Generation: Law, Rights and Online Safety.” The session was moderated by Ayush Bhattacharjee and featured panelists Rabindra Hazari, Senior Advocate at the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court of India, and Pangerkumzuk Longkumer, cybersecurity expert and Founder of NexusCipherGuard India.
Hazari examined the Right to Privacy in India, referencing the Auto Shankar case to illustrate how censorship and state control often overlap. “Law and justice lie in the eye of the beholder,” he said, criticising the use of defamation laws to suppress dissent.
Addressing modern surveillance, Longkumer discussed the paradox of cybersecurity in the era of advanced spyware like Pegasus. Responding to Bhattacharjee’s remark that “Cybersecurity, much like national security, is relative to who defines it,” Longkumer noted that state-backed surveillance often crosses ethical boundaries in the name of security.
Highlighting concerns over data exploitation, Hazari described data as “the new petroleum” and questioned how the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, could widen government access to citizens’ personal data. “Our faces are scanned at airports — but where is that data going?” he asked.
Both speakers agreed that technology is advancing faster than existing legal frameworks, calling for agile policy reforms and stronger digital literacy to protect democracy in the digital age.
