The Government plans to organise five significant meetings concentrating on the “cultural track” at Khajuraho, Bhubaneswar, Hampi, and Agra as part of India’s G20 Presidency between December 2022 and November 2023.
These cities were picked mostly for their well-known structures and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including as the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort (UP), the Hindu and Jain temples of Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), the Konark Sun Temple around 65 kilometres from Bhubaneswar (Odisha), and the Hampi sites (Karnataka). According to reports, Agra would host two of the five sessions.
The government said last month that during India’s G20 chairmanship, there will be 215 meetings spread across 55 sites, covering the majority of states. The main summit will be held in September at the International Exhibition and Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan in Delhi, which is now under construction and will be completed by mid-2023.
According to the papers examined, a G20 Secretariat has been established in the Ministry of Culture, which would hire a professional firm “for research, documentation, and coordination work for the G20 work-stream of culture.” Aside from the five meetings, organisers claimed that roughly 250 cultural activities will be organised on the sidelines for participants during the G20 presidency.
The records suggest that “this presidency also gives a fantastic opportunity for India to define the global agenda on culture across numerous work streams and engagement areas.” These include: a) cultural property protection and restitution; b) advancement of traditional cultural practises for sustainable living; c) promotion of cultural and creative businesses for income generation; and d) preservation and diffusion of culture through technology.”
The Ministry of Tourism has previously designated Siliguri, Rann of Kutch, Kashmir, and Goa as G20 conference venues. According to officials, India’s presidency will be utilised to promote the country as a favoured tourist destination, with delegates being taken on familiarisation trips.
India will host Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates as guests during its G20 presidency, which begins on December 1 this year. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States comprise the G20.
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