India will host the second meeting of the BRICS Culture Working Group (CWG) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on June 4-5, 2026, as part of its BRICS Chairship this year. The two-day meeting will bring together representatives of BRICS nations to discuss cultural cooperation and collaboration under India’s 2026 BRICS theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
Announcing the event at a press conference in New Delhi on Monday, Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal said the meeting would provide a platform for structured multilateral dialogue on key cultural issues. Senior officials of the Ministry of Culture, including Sachchidanand Joshi, were also present at the briefing.
The discussions during the meeting will focus on three priority areas: creative economy and the role of artificial intelligence in cultural and creative industries; protection of cultural heritage and the return of cultural property; and the relationship between culture, climate change and sustainable development.
According to the Ministry, the agenda reflects a shared commitment among BRICS countries to promote innovation, ensure the ethical use of technology in cultural domains, preserve cultural diversity, strengthen heritage conservation efforts, and contribute to the global sustainable development agenda beyond 2030.
India has played a significant role in promoting cultural cooperation within BRICS over the years. The Ministry of Culture previously hosted meetings of BRICS Culture Ministers during India’s presidencies in Goa in 2016 and New Delhi in 2021. As Chair of BRICS in 2026, India continues to steer cultural engagement among member nations.
Established under the 2015 Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Culture among BRICS member states, the Culture Working Group has expanded collaboration in areas such as cultural heritage, museums, archives, films, creative industries and digital cultural ecosystems.
The Varanasi meeting follows the first BRICS Culture Working Group meeting held virtually in April this year. The third CWG meeting is scheduled to take place in Bhopal on August 5-6, followed by the BRICS Cultural Festival and the BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting. A BRICS Theatre Festival is also planned in New Delhi in October.
BRICS currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia as full members. The grouping serves as a platform for cooperation across political, economic and cultural sectors, aiming to promote a more inclusive and equitable international order.
