BRICS Culture Working Group begins in Bhopal, focusing on heritage
Bhopal, Aug 5
The BRICS Culture Working Group meeting began in Bhopal on Wednesday with delegates from member countries holding discussions on strengthening cultural cooperation, preserving shared heritage and promoting the creative economy, according to a statement issued by the Madhya Pradesh government.
The four-day event, being held at the Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Centre from August 5 to 8, precedes the BRICS Culture Ministers' Meeting and aims to advance cooperation among member nations through mutual respect, consensus and shared priorities.
Delegations from India, Brazil, China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Iran, Russia and Ethiopia attended the inaugural session in person. At the same time, Egypt participated in the meeting through a hybrid mode.
According to the state government, the first day's deliberations focused on India's priorities under the BRICS "Culture Track", including the creative economy, cultural and creative industries, preservation of cultural heritage and culture-led sustainable development.
Addressing the inaugural session, Union Culture Secretary and Chair of the BRICS Culture Working Group Vivek Agrawal said the discussions reflected a shared belief that culture was not merely a legacy of the past but a driving force for innovation, resilience, inclusive growth and stronger people-to-people ties.
Alongside the official discussions, three thematic exhibitions, Project Mausam, Brihattar Bharat (Greater India) and Gyan Bharatam, were opened to showcase India's maritime heritage, knowledge traditions and long-standing cultural links with other parts of the world.
The Project Mausam exhibition highlights the shared maritime heritage of countries connected through the Indian Ocean over more than two millennia. It also showcases India's efforts to revive these historical links through research, conservation and international cooperation, besides presenting the concept of a multinational UNESCO World Heritage nomination for interconnected maritime heritage sites.
The Brihattar Bharat exhibition presents India's historical, cultural, spiritual, and intellectual links with countries across Asia and beyond through inscriptions, manuscripts, monuments, and artistic traditions. According to the organisers, the exhibition emphasises cultural dialogue, knowledge exchange, and shared human values.
The Gyan Bharatam exhibition showcases India's manuscript heritage and the ongoing national initiative to preserve and digitally document ancient manuscripts scientifically. More than 1.19 crore manuscripts have been documented under the initiative, with modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, being used for their preservation.
In the evening, BRICS delegates visited the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, where they explored India's folk and tribal traditions through open-air museum galleries, traditional architecture and cultural exhibits.
The delegates also witnessed Kathak performances, folk songs by artists from Nagaland and a cultural presentation depicting India's geographical and cultural diversity.
A specially designed Madhya Pradesh pavilion also drew the attention of delegates by showcasing the state's UNESCO World Heritage sites, wildlife, tribal and folk art, handicrafts, tourism destinations and local products.
The exhibitions will be open to the public on August 7 and 9.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Project Mausam is a great reminder of our historical maritime connections with the Indian Ocean region. But I hope these meetings don't just remain on paper—we need actual cross-country collaborations to revive those ancient cultural ties. Anyways, good to see Bhopal on the global map.
Interesting mix of nations here—from Brazil to Russia to UAE. The inclusion of exhibitions like Brihattar Bharat shows India is trying to reposition itself as a major cultural hub. I would love to see these exhibitions go beyond Bhopal and travel to other parts of the country.
The Gyan Bharatam initiative digitizing 1.19 crore manuscripts using AI is impressive, but we need to ensure this digital data is accessible to the public, not just a few academics. Culture belongs to everyone, and this is a great opportunity to democratize knowledge.
Nice to see a cultural summit without political drama! 🇮🇳 The folks from Nagaland performing is a lovely touch. It sends a message that India is diverse and includes all its states. Good publicity for Indian tourism too.
I wish the local people of Bhopal could see these exhibitions too! It says they're open on August 7 and 9—I hope there's proper publicity and the locals actually visit. It's all good to show delegates, but the local culture and its people are the real custodians of this heritage.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.