Traditional warm welcome was accorded to the delegates from G20 member nations, invitee countries, and various international organisations at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Babatpur here on Wednesday when they arrived here to attend the 4th G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) Meeting. The entire route from the airport to the venue was decorated and at many places, artistes also presented cultural programmes as they did during all previous G20 meetings organised in the city during the previous months. The important Culture Ministers’ Meeting (CMM) will be held on August 26. To welcome the delegates and attend the CWG, top officials from the Union Cultural Ministry including Joint Secretary Lily Pandeya and others arrived here.
After the success of the previous three CWG meetings in Khajuraho, Bhubaneswar and Hampi, as well as the four Global Thematic webinars, this 4th CWG Meeting in Varanasi will continue till August 25 and the meeting aims to arrive at actionable outcomes while positioning culture at the heart of policy making. This CMM in Varanasi will be an opportunity to catalyse collective actions for accelerating progress on the four priority areas articulated by the Indian presidency- protection and restitution of cultural property, harnessing living heritage for a sustainable future, promotion of cultural and creative industries and creative economy, and leveraging digital technologies for the protection and promotion of culture.
Under India’s G20 presidency, the CMG had launched the ‘Culture Unites All’ campaign to highlight India’s unwavering belief in multilateralism based on peaceful coexistence among diverse cultures and communities. The CWG will also release a special stamp to commemorate the campaign on August 26. The ‘Culture Unites All’ postage stamp has been crafted as a distinctive emblem combining the ideas of connectivity, communication, and journey representing a cultural exchange and establishing cultural context.
In 2020, under the Saudi Arabian presidency, the Culture Ministers’ met for the first time on the sidelines of the G20. In 2021, Culture was formalised as a working group during the Italian presidency, leading to the inaugural G20 CMM and the consequential Rome Culture Ministers’ Declaration. The ‘Bali Declaration’ of 2022 under the Indonesian presidency further stressed the role of culture in sustainable development. In Varanasi, this would be the fourth time that the Culture Ministers of the G20 members and invitee countries would be meeting. During their stay in this ancient holy city, the guests will have the opportunity to watch the world-renowned Ganga aarti and explore the beautiful history of the lion capital of Sarnath. The G20 Global Orchestra performance titled ‘Sur Vasudha’ celebrating the rich musical knowledge and heritage of G20 member nations and invitee countries will be presented in the city. The delegates will also witness cultural performances including Indian classical music and dance forms during their stay in the city.