UNESCO will meet to examine 'Deepavali' for intangible cultural heritage tag

Indias nomination the Deepavali festival will be examined at a key meeting of the UNESCO in Delhi next week in pursuance of its inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity according to officialsThis is the first time that India will host a session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage ICH The 20th session of the panel will take place from December 8 to 13 at the Red FortIndia currently has 15 elements inscribed on the coveted UNESCOs Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and these include the Kumbh Mela the Durga Puja in Kolkata the Garba dance of Gujarat yoga the tradition of Vedic chanting and Ramlila the traditional performance of the epic RamayanaIndias nomination the Deepavali festival will be considered during the upcoming session of the UNESCOs Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage being hosted in Delhi The dossier for the nomination was submitted in 2023 a senior official told PTINew Delhi has sent the nomination for the 202425 cycleAccording to the UNESCO the session will examine the nominations submitted by State parties for inscription on the UNESCO ICH lists review the status of the existing elements and provide international assistance for safeguarding intangible cultural heritageThe session will be chaired by Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of India to the UNESCO Vishal V SharmaThis is the first time India will host this UNESCO session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and so it is a matter of great pride Sharma told PTI earlierSecurity is expected to be tightened at and around the Red Fort area as the meeting will take place nearly a month after a highintensity car blast near the monument killed 15 people and injured more than two dozen on November 10A senior official of the Archaeological Survey of India ASI had on November 28 said the 17thcentury fort complex will be closed from December 5 to 14 in view of the eventBuilt by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as the palace fort of his capital Shahjahanabad the Red Fort complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a centrallyprotected monumentSome of the Britishera barracks located on the premises of the iconic monument will also be used as part of the mega event another official saidIn 2023 the fort site was the venue for the maiden India Art Architecture and Design Biennale IAADB held from December 9 to 15 It also included seven especiallycurated thematic exhibitions which were housed in three Britishera barracks located on the premises of the monumentThe Ministry of Culture and its autonomous body the Sangeet Natak Akademi SNA are the nodal agencies to host the December meet of the UNESCOThe global event underscores Indias intent to align tangible and intangible heritage and highlight its role in cultural diplomacy under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the ministry has saidWhile there is no official word on it sources indicated that the opening session is likely to be held on December 7Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was asked about the upcoming session in the Rajya Sabha on ThursdayOver 800 delegates from more than 180 countries including committee members UNESCO officials experts accredited NGOs and practitioners are likely to participate in this event he saidThe core issues likely to be taken up during the meeting are assessment of safeguarding reports submitted by States about existing listed elements requests for international assistance to support safeguarding of ICH discussion on living heritage safeguarding best practices and innovative safeguarding methodologies and reporting and future planning for safeguarding of ICH the minister saidHosting the meeting offers several strategic and diplomatic advantages for India and will strengthen its collaboration with the UNESCOIt will help the country by increasing its global influence and cultural diplomacy and soft power providing a platform to showcase its diverse heritage strengthening international cooperation on cultural preservation and inspiring younger generations to connect with their cultural identity the government saidThe event also provides an opportunity for India to lead discussions on important heritage issues and solidify its position as a global leader in cultural diplomacy the minister saidOn the occasion of Diwali also known as Deepavali the UNESCO India Office in New Delhi had shared a social media post on the festival of lights and the upcoming meetingLight heritage and togetherness This Diwali the UNESCO family came together to celebrate the spirit of joy and shared traditions that connect us all As India nominates Diwali to UNESCOs Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage ICH of Humanity and prepares to host the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of ICH this December we celebrate how living traditions continue to unite communities and illuminate the world with cultural diversity it saidThe upcoming December session comes a year and a half after New Delhi hosted the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee WHC from July 21 to 31 2024 at the Bharat MandapamThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever