A delegation of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) comprising representatives of eight member nations including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, China, Pakistan and also India, will be visiting Varanasi on January 16, 2023 and these foreign guests will be introduced to the culture and history of Kashi during their visit.

Varanasi was nominated as the first cultural and tourism capital for 2022-2023 at the 22nd meeting of the SCO council held in Samarkand. Subsequently, the state government sent invitations to every SCO member to visit Kashi. 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued directives to the top officials to prepare for the grand welcome of the foreign guests, ensuring cleanliness and finding a solution to the traffic congestion at all key intersections of the city.

On their arrival, the visitors will be greeted by the schoolchildren.

The SCO is primarily an economic and security alliance of eight member states to pursue economic integration. The members' visit to Varanasi is therefore viewed as being crucial for business relations with these nations in addition to maintaining cultural identity.

Meanwhile, Principal Secretary (Tourism) Mukesh Meshram has issued an order for making necessary arrangements for the month-long Ramnagar Ramleela festival which will be held next month. The festival is a much awaited event in Kashi in October. This historic Ramleela starts from Anant Chaturdashi and lasts for a month.

Apart from this, Dev Deepawali, the festival of light, is to be celebrated from November 5 to November 8 in Kashi. It is believed that all the gods gather at the Varanasi ghat to celebrate this occasion. People celebrate this occasion by lighting diyas on the ghats and decorating them.

Tourists from all over the world gather in Kashi on this occasion. In this regard, the Tourism Department has already started making preparations.