Tura, October 23: Students from across Meghalaya gathered in Tura on Friday for the SPARK Meghalaya State Summit 2026, with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma stressing the importance of nurturing young people’s confidence, talents and personal growth.
The summit, organised by the Education Department under the School Programmes in Articulation, Resilience and Kindness (SPARK) initiative, was held at the District Auditorium in Tura.
Addressing students, teachers and officials, Sangma said the decision to hold this year’s summit in Tura was aimed at giving young people an opportunity to experience Meghalaya’s cultural diversity beyond their home districts.
Recalling last year’s summit in Shillong, he said he had suggested that the event be hosted in Tura so participants could experience the state’s different cultures, languages, landscapes, food and music.
He said he was pleased that many students had visited Tura for the first time, adding that such gatherings encouraged young people to interact and understand communities different from their own.
The Chief Minister urged participants to focus on self-growth and recognise their individual abilities, saying every student had potential and that taking part in the summit was itself an achievement.
“Everybody has potential and you have already won by being here,” he told the students.
Sangma said SPARK was intended not only to develop communication and confidence but also to instil values, build friendships and help young people become better individuals. He said the initiative extended beyond the summit to activities such as music, sports, entrepreneurship, dance and painting.
“The beauty of this programme is that every individual is unique and each has a talent,” he said, encouraging students to have the confidence to try new things.
Highlighting the government’s youth-focused initiatives, Sangma said the state was working to channel young people’s energy into productive opportunities.
He cited the Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (MGMP), through which around 8,000 artists are pursuing their passion and earning through performances. He said artists had performed more than 20,000 shows across the state, the country and abroad, including in Japan and Germany, with government support.
He also referred to the CM Elevate programme and investments in sports, saying such initiatives were intended to create opportunities for young people.
Congratulating the Education Department, Sangma said several Meghalaya programmes were being replicated nationally and described spending on youth development as an investment in future generations.
He said students participating in SPARK could carry the programme’s impact into their communities, inspiring friends and family members.
The release of the SPARK Outcomes Report 2026, cultural performances, student and teacher testimonials, and the felicitation of District SPARK Stars were among the highlights of the summit.
Officials from the district administration and Education Department, jury members, principals, teachers and students from various districts attended the event.
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