CM Kejriwal to attend World Cities Culture Forum

The date for this year’s annual summit is yet to be announced in the forum’s website.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will speak at the annual summit of the World Cities Culture Forum, the chief minister’s office said in a statement on Friday.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (ANI file photo)

“Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will be representing Delhi and India at the World Cities Culture Forum. Recently, the CM has accepted an invitation by the Mayor of London, Mr Sadiq Khan, to represent Delhi at the World Cities Cultural Forum...This year’s theme, ‘The Future of Culture’, will play a crucial role in re-imagining the culture of Delhi, especially in the wake of several devastating challenges and Covid-19 crisis faced by the people in the last one year,” said the statement.

The date for this year’s annual summit is yet to be announced in the forum’s website.

The statement further said: “The forum comprises 40 world cities including London, Tokyo and New York, all of which recognise the impact and importance of culture and creativity, and seek to inculcate these values in public policy and city planning. The annual summit, attended by Deputy Mayors for Culture and Heads of Culture from the member cities, is at the heart of the forum’s activity. Delhi will also be part of the World Cities Culture report, the most comprehensive global dataset on culture in cities.”

The World Cities Culture report is published by the forum every three years, with data and details on innovative projects from cities across the world. The last report was published in 2018, said the forum’s website.

In the statement issued on Friday, Kejriwal said the theme of the forum -- ’The Future of Culture’ -- is a topic of relevance at this challenging juncture. As people around the world struggled in isolation, it has been art and music that helped people stay connected and cope with the crisis, he said.

“Creativity and sharing provided hope and strength to respond to the Covid-19 with resilience. The unfortunate circumstances of the pandemic have posed new challenges and possibilities to reimagine the modes of cultural practice. As we move towards recovery, the arts and culture will play a vital role in rebuilding lives and society,” Kejriwal said in the statement.

Calling Delhi a historic capital city seeped in diverse art and heritage which his government aims to transform into an artist-friendly city, Kejriwal said, “Delhi has been at the forefront of promoting and preserving our rich culture. Our government strongly believes in the role culture plays in shaping the city and positively impacting lives. Our goal is to transform Delhi into a world leader in the field of culture.”

The decision to attend the World Cities Culture Forum comes at a time when the Delhi government is drafting a cultural policy for the Capital.