<span style="color: #222222;">The third edition of the India International Cherry Blossom Festival 2018 got underway at Polo 5th Ground, Shillong on Wednesday.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">It was inaugurated by the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in the presence of Japanese Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said, said the festival is being elevated to international status with the participation of the Government of Japan through its delegates. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He added that the festival represents one of the ways of strengthening that relationship further. Mr Sangma said that the Indo-Japan collaboration has taken a leap forward due to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The four-day long festival is being organised by the Forest and Environment Department, Govt of Meghalaya, Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development in collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. It celebrates the unique autumn flowering of the Himalayan Cherry Blossoms with several cultural events. </span><br />''