E-Paper
PM Modi to address culture ministers of G20 nations on August 26
4th G20 Culture Working Group meeting, under India’s G20 presidency, begins in Varanasi on August 23
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address culture ministers of G20 nations in Varanasi through a video statement on August 26. The meeting will take place after the 4th G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) meeting, under India’s G20 presidency, beginning in Varanasi on August 23 (Wednesday).
The G20 CWG meeting will conclude on August 25. The G20 culture ministers’ meeting is scheduled for Saturday (August 26). Delegates from G20 member nations, invitee countries and various international organisations will attend the meeting.
Press Information Bureau’s media and communication officer Prashant Kakkar said, “The 4th G20 Culture Group (CWG) meeting will start in Varanasi on Wednesday which will culminate in the G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting on August 26.” Union minister for culture and tourism G Kishan Reddy will deliver welcome speech, Kakkar added.
In 2020, under the Saudi Arabian presidency, the culture ministers had met for the first time on the sidelines of G20. In 2021, culture was formalised as a working group during the Italian presidency, leading to the inaugural G20 culture ministers’ meeting 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, said a statement from PIB.
Building upon the success of the previous three CWG meetings in Khajuraho, Bhubaneswar and Hampi as well as the four global thematic webinars and 4th CWG meeting in Varanasi aims to arrive at actionable outcomes while positioning culture at the heart of policy making.
The CWG 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 is releasing 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. The delegates will also have the opportunity to experience world-renowned Ganga Aarti and explore the beautiful history 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 for the delegates here. They will also witness cultural performances including Indian classical music and dance forms during their visit to Varanasi.
