Varanasi accords traditional welcome to foreign delegates for 4th G20 Culture Group meeting

Under India’s G20 Presidency, the CWG introduced the ‘Culture Unites All’ campaign to underscore India’s steadfast commitment to multilateralism.

VARANASI The fourth G20 Culture Group (CWG) meeting kicked off in Varanasi on Wednesday. Delegates from G20 member nations, invited countries, and various international organisations are attending the meeting.

Representational photo (HT File)

A total of 170 delegates from G20 member and invited countries are participating in the event. The delegates immersed themselves in India’s rich cultural heritage as artists performed traditional dances such as Awadhi, Faruwahi, Dhobiya, Raai, Kaharwa, Kajari, Pai Danda, Dandiya, and Mayur as part of the welcoming ceremony at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi.

Lily Pandey, Joint Secretary of the Union Ministry of Culture, stated that the G20 CWG meeting has commenced. Building on the success of the previous three CWG meetings in Khajuraho, Bhubaneswar, and Hampi, along with the four Global Thematic Webinars, the 4th CWG meeting in Varanasi (scheduled from August 23rd to 25th, 2023) aims to produce actionable outcomes while placing culture at the core of policy-making.

Insights and recommendations from the expert-driven Global Thematic Webinars on the CWG’s priority areas have been consolidated in a comprehensive report titled “G20 Culture: Shaping the Global Narrative for Inclusive Growth.” This insightful report, prepared by India’s G20 Presidency’s Culture Working Group, is set to be unveiled in Varanasi during the Culture Ministers’ Meeting.

As part of this campaign, a special postage stamp bearing the slogan ‘Culture Unites All’ will be issued on August 26, 2023. The stamp embodies the concepts of connectivity, communication, and journey, symbolising cultural exchange and contextual understanding.