Kohima, Nagaland: Durex’s The Birds and Bees Talk (TBBT), a leading life skills program by Reckitt, is set to launch Asia’s first Consent Café at the 25th Hornbill Festival in Kohima, Nagaland. The festival, running from December 1 to 10 at Kisama Heritage Village, will host the café as part of TBBT’s third year as the event’s official Health Partner. The Hornbill Festival, expecting over 150,000 visitors, uniquely blends traditional heritage with modern values.
The Consent Café aims to foster open conversations about consent, equity, and healthy relationships in a space designed with light, music, and art. This initiative addresses the rising tide of gender-based violence in India, as reported by the National Commission for Women, which recorded over 28,811 gender-based complaints in 2023 alone. Shri Temjen Imna Along, Honorable Minister of Tourism and Higher Education, Government of Nagaland, will inaugurate the café.
Ravi Bhatnagar, Director of External Affairs & Partnerships at Reckitt – South Asia, stated, “Durex TBBT’s partnership with the Hornbill Festival reflects our unwavering commitment to integrating critical conversations into cultural celebrations.” “By focusing on consent, we aim to inspire young minds to embrace progressive values.”
TBBT’s presence at the Hornbill Festival will extend beyond the Consent Café. The program will host the TBBT Music Carnival at Imagiland, featuring local artists and the launch of a new rap album. Additionally, an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot will be launched to provide young people with accurate information on consent and life skills.
Other activities include the second edition of the TBBT Painting Competition, empowering young artists to express their creativity around themes of inclusion, consent, protection, awareness, and equity. The competition will be judged by Mr. Ravi Bhatnagar and Mr. Yanger, a renowned craftsman and artist from Nagaland.
Finally, the Durex TBBT Arena will serve as the festival’s largest Health Pavilion, featuring interactive sessions on life skills and comic characters inspired by the five Nagaland tribes.
“At Reckitt, we believe that knowledge is the foundation of empowerment,” said Gaurav Jain, Executive Vice President, Reckitt – South Asia. “Our continued partnership with the Hornbill Festival exemplifies our belief as we honor Northeast India’s cultural legacy while addressing critical societal issues like consent and inclusion.”
Durex TBBT, implemented by Plan India, has reached over 4 million young people across 10 states in India. The program combines offline and digital platforms to deliver culturally tailored life skills education.