G20 Culture Ministerial Meeting Concludes in Varanasi Today
G.K Reddy said that cultural heritage is both a pillar of the past and a pathway to the future. The Minister also said that the journey of discussions under the Culture working group of G20 has been inclusive and collaborative. He said under it we’ve progressed from identifying and deliberating the four priorities, to advance towards the action-oriented outcomes that would be a significant step in placing culture at the heart of global policymaking.
He also said that the invaluable contribution, insights, comments and feedback from the G20 Member nations have greatly enriched our shared dialogue. G.K Reddy also remarked that under India’s Presidency and under the leadership of PM Modi, we have tried to capture not just the letter but, most importantly, the spirit of our collective vision.
In his concluding remarks at the meeting, the Minister said that throughout eight months spanning across the four meetings of the Culture Working Group, we were able to forge a robust Outcome Document, which marks a considerable step forward in the legacy of the Rome and Bali Declarations.
He also stated that our endeavors at this meeting have brought us to a unique juncture where almost all points found a unanimous consensus. We should be proud of the ambition, forward looking vision and purpose of the text that we are about to adopt. It truly testifies that Culture Unites All. It is in this spirit that I would like to ask you to name this achievement the Kashi Culture Pathway, he urged.
G.K Reddy added that we have affirmed that the return and restitution of cultural property is an imperative of social justice and we committed, as G20 members, to lead the path towards enabling the conditions for a sustained dialogue to that purpose. He concluded his remarks by saying “let me symbolically adopt the Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary we have endorsed and the terms of Reference of the Culture Working Group.”
The G20 Culture Working Group (CWG), under the stewardship of India’s G20 Presidency, released a pioneering report titled ‘G20 Culture: Shaping the Global Narrative for Inclusive Growth’. This report encompasses insights and best practices derived from the Global Thematic Webinars on the priority areas articulated by the Indian Presidency. The insights encapsulated in the report underline the importance of persistent engagement in deepening our collective understanding.
A salient feature of these webinars was the robust and diverse participation of record 159 experts from various cultural backgrounds and disciplines. This extensive collaboration not only enriched the discussions but also fostered a holistic and multifaceted exploration of the role of culture in global policymaking.
The collective wisdom of these experts, representing G20 Members, Guest Nations, International Organizations and other stakeholders underscores the universality of the topics discussed and amplifies the credibility and depth of the report. A special postage stamp was also released, marking the journey of the hallmark campaign of ‘Culture Unites All’ under the CWG of India’s G20 Presidency.
