GUWAHATI: Nagaland’s 24th edition of its globally acclaimed Hornbill Festival, billed as the ‘Festival of Festivals‘ and starting from December 1, has only got bigger with as many as three country partners this time – Germany, the US and Colombia.

Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio announced the partnerships with the three countries in X on Thursday.

“The #LandOfFestivals eagerly awaits our friends and guests from all over the world to the #FestivalOfFestivals – the #HornbillFestival2023,” Rio wrote.

German Consulate in India replied, “Thank you Shri @Neiphiu_Rio for welcoming us to the one of the biggest festival in India. We are super excited to be part of this journey.”

Nagaland will also host a German business delegation for a round table with the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland during the festival. Colombia is the country partner in the music festival, which goes alongside the main festival, and is set to captivate music enthusiasts.

Rio’s advisor Abu Metha shared the line-up for the musical extravaganza, which includes e Elm Tree Circle from Germany, Padbhusan awardee Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Los Rolling Ruanas from Colombia and Larry Yassi from the USA.

Also in the list of performers are bands from Colombia and South Korea besides Nagaland‘s own, Alobo Naga, and the Band. The music festival will host more than 40 bands, featuring over 800 artists, which will be staged at the scenic Naga heritage village of Kisama.

The 10-day annual festival organized by the state government showcases the traditional and contemporary culture of Nagaland. It was first conceptualised in 2020 to promote the state’s cultural heritage and encourage inter-tribal interaction and named after the hornbill.