New Delhi [India], December 7 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday highlighted India’s longstanding commitment to protecting global cultural traditions while addressing the inaugural session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in New Delhi.
Jaishankar noted that it was “fitting” for the committee to convene in India, a nation with a deep civilisational legacy spanning diverse cultural forms. “It is fitting that you are assembled in India, which has so much to contribute to the world in regard to such heritage,” he said, adding that as a founding member of UNESCO, India has actively promoted the organisation’s objectives of advancing global peace and understanding through cooperation in education, science, and culture.
Emphasising the importance of heritage in shaping collective human progress, he stated, “In each of these domains, humankind has benefited from the legacy of its forebears. As we forge ahead in the shared quest for progress and prosperity, it is essential that we nurture this inheritance, build on it and pass it on to future generations.”
Jaishankar underscored UNESCO’s central role in heritage preservation and highlighted India’s contributions to the mission, both domestically and abroad. “A key dimension of that engagement is preservation of intangible heritage,” he said, pointing to traditions, languages, rituals, music, craftsmanship, festivals, and performing arts as invaluable aspects of human inheritance, “the most democratic expression of culture owned by all, guarded by many and enriched by each generation.”
He referenced India’s active role under the 2003 Convention on Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and celebrated the country’s cultural practitioners whose traditions form the backbone of civilisational continuity. “With multiple elements from the representative list, we are celebrating our weavers, storytellers, healers, dancers and artisans whose lives are the actual repositories of human continuity,” Jaishankar said.
Highlighting recent global recognitions, he noted the inclusion of the Bhagavad Gita and Bharat Muni’s Natya Shastra in the UNESCO Memory of the World International Register. He also pointed to India’s culinary heritage, with Lucknow recently joining Hyderabad as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, drawing widespread appreciation.
“Each recognition of intangible heritage has ripples well beyond the immediate decision,” Jaishankar added, emphasizing how such acknowledgements strengthen cultural identity, boost community pride, and enhance international awareness of diverse traditions. (ANI)
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