The 20th Session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) concluded on Friday at the Red Fort in New Delhi, marking a significant moment in global cultural cooperation.
Addressing the concluding session, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Vivek Aggarwal expressed India’s satisfaction at hosting the prestigious global meeting and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the protection, promotion, and celebration of living heritage.
Aggarwal said the deliberations enabled delegates to engage deeply with the Convention’s working mechanisms while experiencing India’s cultural diversity and inclusiveness. He highlighted India’s civilisational perspective that views culture as a collective inheritance, guided by the ethos “Sanskriteh Rakshanam, Lokasya Rakshanam,” underscoring that safeguarding culture is integral to protecting humanity.
One of the major highlights of the session was the inscription of Deepavali on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Secretary noted that the festival, celebrated widely across India and beyond, symbolises light, hope, and renewal, and its inscription strengthens global recognition of India’s living traditions.
Emphasising the broader significance of intangible cultural heritage, Aggarwal said it plays a vital role in sustaining communities, reinforcing social bonds, and ensuring continuity of traditions, particularly at a time when globalisation, conflict, and climate change pose challenges to cultural ecosystems.
He also noted growing interest among Member States in multinational heritage nominations, acknowledging that many traditions transcend national boundaries. India, he said, welcomed this collaborative approach and expressed readiness to participate in transnational nominations in the future.
