New Delhi: The 20th Session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) successfully concluded today at the Red Fort in New Delhi, marking a significant global gathering focused on the protection and promotion of living heritage.
Addressing the closing session, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Vivek Aggarwal, expressed India’s deep satisfaction at hosting the prestigious international meeting. He reaffirmed India’s sustained commitment to the safeguarding, promotion, and celebration of intangible cultural heritage across communities.
Shri Aggarwal stated that the deliberations and interactions during the session enabled delegates to engage with the Convention’s working mechanisms while also experiencing India’s cultural richness, inclusiveness, and diversity. He highlighted India’s civilisational understanding of culture as a collective inheritance, guided by the ethos “संस्कृतेः रक्षणं, लोकस्य रक्षणम्”, meaning that protecting culture is integral to protecting humanity.
UNESCO ICH Committee Session highlights global cultural cooperation
One of the key highlights of the session was the inscription of Deepavali on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Shri Aggarwal noted that Deepavali symbolises light, hope, and renewal and that its inscription reinforces global recognition of India’s vibrant living traditions. He congratulated all Member States whose cultural elements were approved during the current inscription cycle.
Reflecting on the discussions, the Secretary emphasised the vital role of intangible cultural heritage in sustaining communities, strengthening social bonds, and ensuring continuity of traditions, particularly amid challenges posed by globalisation, conflict, and climate-related pressures.
