Dhaka, Nov 14 (UNB) - The Liberation War Museum is holding an international conference on Bangladesh Genocide and Justice along with an exhibition titled ‘Quilt of Memory and Hope’ from 14-16 November at the museum venue in Agargaon, Dhaka.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen inaugurated the 6th edition of the international conference and exhibition as the guest of honor on Thursday at the Liberation War Museum. Emeritus Professor Anisuzzaman, Center for the Study of Genocide and Justice (CSGJ) director Mofidul Hoque and Liberation War Museum’s trustee Ziauddin Tariq Ali also spoke at the inauguration ceremony.

“This conference is being organized at the time when we are preparing to observe the 50th anniversary of the 1971 genocide. Such initiatives are important tools for creating social framework for atrocity prevention,” minister praised the initiative of this international conference.

A book on the exhibition with the same name was also unveiled at the inauguration ceremony.

The exhibition is organized by AJAR (Asia Justice and Rights) in collaboration with Liberation War Museum and was inaugurated by Foreign Affairs minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, shortly after the inauguration of the conference.

A cultural programme was also arranged after both the inaugurations, by the performers of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

The three-day conference is scheduled to be attended and participated by notable genocide scholars, jurists and academics from home and abroad. 28 foreign delegates from different countries and disciplines are attending this year’s conference, which is themed around highlighting  Rohingya Persecution.

Officials in Cambodia have ordered that elephants that serve as tourist attractions at the country's famed Angkor temple complex be moved to a new home in a suitable jungle area.

The agency that oversees the Angkor site said in a statement Thursday it is important for the animals to be able to live in their natural habitat, and there are other ways to provide attractions and rides for tourists.

Some of the 14 elephants officially at the site are old and in ill health. They have been providing rides for tourists since 2001. A female elephant there died of heart failure in the heat after giving a tourist a ride.

The agency said tourists will be allowed to see the elephants at their new location but not ride them.

Renowned indigenous artist Kanak Chanpa Chakma’s 17th solo art exhibition, “The Traveller’s Song” is currently drawing visitors to the Edge Gallery in Gulshan.

The exhibition was inaugurated on Saturday by former Adviser to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh Rokeya Afzal Rahman. Renowned art critic Professor Moinuddin Khaled and founder trustee  of The Edge Foundation, Iftekhar A Khan- were also present at the inauguration, among others.

“Portraying the lifestyles and rich culture of six prominent indigenous communities of Bangladesh- Chakma, Marma, Garo, Mrong, Tongchonga and Santal- this exclusive exhibition is an outcome of my three-year research,” Kanak Chanpa revealed at the inauguration.

“My source of inspiration is the daily life of our indigenous people and the natural beauty of our lands. The vivid colors of our indigenous attires, the hills, forests, ‘jhum’ cultivation, pristine blue waterfalls, dance and music; in other words, anything that defines life in the hilly areas of Bangladesh can mesmerize any journeyman. Such lyrics and melodies will remain long after the traveller has gone, if only we care to listen- and I wanted to portray these feelings in this exhibition,” she further explained.

Fifty artworks, in oil, acrylic and collage, are being showcased in this exclusive exhibition with the exclusive focus on shades such as vermillion reds, cerulean blues and saffron yellows.

Kanak’s paintings have been featured in over 100 exhibitions both at home and abroad, including Australia, India, the United States, Germany, France and England. Under her supervision, ‘Bangladesh Ethnic Artist Forum’ has been inaugurated with the participation of all the ethnic communities in Bangladesh focusing on conducting research, art camps, art exhibitions and workshops.

As the country’s most prominent indigenous artist, Kanak Chanpa Chakma has won several prestigious awards at home and abroad including Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Costume Design (2014), Olympic Fine Arts Medal at Beijing, China (2008), Grand Award by Latin American Art Museum in Miami, Florida of the United States (2003) and National Award for Best Painting by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (2002).

The exhibition is open for all till November 30, every day from 10 am to 8 pm at Edge Gallery, Bay’s Edgewater, on the edge of Gulshan Lake (thus the name) as one heads towards Baridhara from the Gulshan-2 circle.

Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, the Senate's first Asian-American woman and only current immigrant, is working on a memoir.

Viking announced Tuesday that the book, currently untitled, will come out in 2021.

Hirono, 72, will write about emigrating at age 8 to the United States after her mother fled an abusive marriage in Japan. In a statement issued through Viking, Hirono said the book was a tribute to her mother's spirit and a chance "to bear witness on her behalf by telling the story of the daughter she inspired to live boldly."

Hirono, a Democrat, made news last year as a leading critic of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who faced allegations of sexual harassment and attempted assault. Kavanaugh, who was narrowly confirmed, denied the allegations.

The fourth Maritime Silk Road International Arts Festival will be held in Quanzhou, east China's Fujian Province, from Nov. 22 to 27.

The event will feature art performances, a forum on art development and an online arts festival, organizers said in a press conference in Beijing.

Jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the government of Fujian Province, the festival has attracted over 1,200 artists and 130 troupes from more than 40 countries and regions, including the Republic of Korea, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia.

The event was initiated in 2014 and established a biennial festival a year later in 2015.

During this year's festival, visitors will be invited to immerse themselves in the arts with a series of public activities around the ancient city of Quanzhou, as well as in local universities and businesses.