India to host Unesco panel meet in December

NEw new delhi: republic of india testament innkeeper the 20th session of Unesco’s Intergovernmental citizens committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the first time this December at Delhi’s Red Fort, officials aware of the matter said. All sessions of the meeting, scheduled from December 8 to 13 will take place inside the fort complex. More than 1,000 delegates from around the world are expected to attend the event, they added.India’s Permanent Representative to Unesco, Vishal V Sharma, will chair the session, which will focus on the country’s two cultural submissions—Deepawali and Chhath Mahaparva.The meeting will coincide with the twentieth anniversary of India’s ratification of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which it joined in 2005. The Unesco body meets annually to evaluate nominations submitted by member states for inclusion in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.Sharma said India’s ongoing nomination of Deepawali and discussion on its upcoming submission for Chhath Puja will form the core of discussions this year. “We get a chance to nominate only one element every two years. Deepawali was submitted earlier, and now we have initiated the process for Chhath Puja which will be submitted in 2027,” he said. He added that Unesco’s advisory body is expected to announce its recommendation on Diwali’s inscription around November 10.The intergovernmental panel examines practices and traditions that represent living cultural expressions. Unlike the World Heritage Committee, which focuses on monuments, architecture and sites, the Intangible Cultural Heritage list recognises festivals, rituals, oral traditions, performing arts and craftsmanship that communities continue to practice and transmit.“Intangible cultural heritage is more hotly contested than world heritage because it is dynamic and resonates deeply with communities,” Sharma said. “Monuments require immense conservation efforts and resources, while cultural practices appeal more widely and cost less to safeguard.”India currently has 15 elements on Unesco’s Representative List, including Durga Puja in Kolkata, Yoga, Kumbh Mela, Garba of Gujarat, and Vedic chanting. If Deepawali is inscribed, it will join this list as one of India’s most widely celebrated festivals.India’s nomination describes Diwali, or Deepavali, as a festival of light that signifies the triumph of virtue over vice and light over darkness. The dossier focuses on its cultural meaning rather than its religious aspects, describing it as a celebration of renewal, abundance and social unity. “Deepavali is not just about the victory of light over darkness. It represents the return of righteous leadership, the ushering in of good governance,” Sharma said. “From the beginning, Indians have believed that good governance enables citizens to achieve the four Purusharthas—dharma, artha, kama and moksha.”Sharma added that through the Diwali nomination, India also seeks to convey a message of good governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership over the past eleven years. “The festival stands for renewal, righteousness and effective leadership, and India wishes to communicate that message globally,” he said.The nomination also outlines how Diwali contributes to livelihoods across communities. Artisan groups produce diyas, decorative hangings and rangolis; business communities see increased economic activity through the sale of sweets, clothes and ornaments; and families participate in rituals and gatherings that reinforce intergenerational transmission.The dossier connects Diwali with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).The submission argues that Diwali supports local economies through sustainable production, encourages women’s participation in artisanal and community-based crafts, and reinforces environmentally conscious practices through the growing use of eco-friendly decorations and lamps.India has begun preparing the dossier for Chhath Puja, which it aims to present as a multinational nomination in collaboration with countries where the Indian diaspora celebrates the festival, including Fiji, Mauritius, Suriname, Guyana and Trinidad. Chhath Puja involves worship of the Sun God, ritual bathing and offering prayers at sunrise and sunset. “Those who trace their ancestry to Bihar and Jharkhand celebrate Chhath in these countries. It’s a global festival of humanity, uniting people across continents through shared heritage,” Sharma said.Preparations for December’s session are being coordinated by the Ministry of Culture through its nodal institutions, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi. The Red Fort complex will host plenary meetings, side events and exhibitions by participating countries. “There will be large pavilions and side rooms for parallel events. Many countries will showcase their own cultural heritage through exhibitions. It’s going to be a massive exercise,” Sharma said.“India’s decision to hold the session at a World Heritage Site underscores its intent to align tangible and intangible heritage in a single platform,” said Sharma. The Ministry of Culture has said the event will highlight India’s role in cultural diplomacy and in advancing the objectives of the 2003 Convention, which aims to safeguard living traditions and promote community participation.The Convention defines intangible heritage as “the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills—as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith—that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.” It places emphasis on transmission of traditions through generations and on safeguarding measures that ensure their continuity.The Unesco tag often enhances the visibility of cultural practices, enabling access to international networks, technical cooperation and community-based initiatives for preservation. Inscription, however, does not grant ownership or exclusivity; it recognises the shared and evolving nature of the practice.India’s participation in Unesco’s cultural programmes has expanded in recent years. The country now contributes to committees across education, science, culture and technology, with 39 ministries and departments involved. Sharma said India will present its national statement at Unesco’s General Conference in Paris on November 4, outlining its contributions in education, science, artificial intelligence, gender equality and heritage. “Unlike the UN Security Council, which is political, or Geneva, which focuses on human rights, Unesco is where India can truly speak about its achievements—in education, science, artificial intelligence, gender equality, and heritage,” he said.India’s engagement with Unesco’s heritage mechanisms is also part of a broader policy focus on culture as a tool of international outreach. In 2024, India hosted the World Heritage Committee meeting in Delhi, which focused on conservation of built heritage. The forthcoming session of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee extends that effort to living traditions and practices.Hosting the session at the Red Fort will bring together cultural representatives, experts and community leaders from across member states. The event will include deliberations on new nominations, progress on safeguarding measures, and global cooperation for protecting living heritage.As Sharma noted, “Earlier, we used to go to other countries and clap for their achievements. Now, the world is coming to India.” The Red Fort will serve as the setting for those deliberations in December, when the Committee gathers to decide which of the world’s living cultural practices will join the Representative List, and India awaits the outcome on Diwali while advancing its nomination for Chhath Puja.