World Heritage Committee session to showcase India's rich cultural diversity, PM to inaugurate: Culture Minister

New Delhi: After hosting of the G20, the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee that will be held here from July 21-31 will prove to be the next milestone, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Friday.

At a curtain-raiser press conference here ahead of the session, he also said an "in-principle approval" has been received for the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of the event.

The culture ministry in a statement later said, the session will be inaugurated by the prime minister on July 21.

This is the first time the session is being hosted in India.

The inaugural ceremony will also be graced by Audrey Azoulay, Director General, UNESCO, and other senior officers from the UNESCO World Heritage Secretariat along with high-level dignitaries like culture ministers, ambassadors and domain experts from various countries, it said.

Shekhawat highlighted that this is the first mega event of India under the third term of Prime Minister Modi. This is being organised with a "whole-of-government approach" within a short span of 40 days, he said.

"The international meeting of this scale will further strengthen India's soft power in the world and provide an opportunity for global audience and outreach," the Union minster said.

Shekhawat said the World Heritage Committee (WHC) session will offer an opportunity to India to showcase its rich and diverse cultural heritage, upkeep and management of its sites and the priority India accords to its heritage.

Culture ministers of all states of India have been invited for the session, he said.

Asked on what criteria Delhi was chosen as the host city for the key meeting, the Union minister said Delhi was a "natural choice" for such a culturally important event, both for its historicity and presence of infrastructure.

Shekhawat said after hosting of the G20 meetings and the culmination of the G20 Summit in Delhi, this 46th session of the WHC will prove to be the "next milestone".

Ahead of the WHC session, the government recently launched a public art project with works themed on India's cultural legacy and the country's UNESCO heritage sites among others.

In sync with the meeting, some of the artwork and sculptures will draw inspiration from world heritage sites such as Bimbetka and also natural world heritage sites in India, officials had said.

The WHC session will be at the Bharat Mandapam, which was also the venue for the G20 Summit.

India held the the Presidency of the influential grouping for a year from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.

The G20 meetings took place across the country, providing an important occasion to showcase India's culture, heritage, hospitality, tourism destinations and other sites.

Many of these meeting were held at cultural sites, including at the ruins of Hampi in Karnataka, a World Heritage Site.

The logo of the 46th WHC meeting is inspired by the World Heritage Site of Hampi. The stone chariot from the Vijaya Vitthala Temple is a testament to India's architectural grandeur and sculptural prowess. The tagline of the logo is 'Sah Nau Yasha' which means 'May our glory Grow', derived from the ancient Sanskrit scripture Taitiriya Upanishad (1.3.1).

The motto beautifully reflects India's aspirations and genuine efforts in growing the ambit and scope of the World Heritage Convention even further by hosting this year's committee meeting, Shekhawat said.

Vishal V Sharma, chairperson of the WHC and ambassador and permanent representative of India to UNESCO, and Yaduvir Singh Rawat, Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, flanked Shekhawat during the press conference held at the National Media Centre.

He described India as a "cultural superpower" and said culture unites all, indicating the essence of soft power.

The World Heritage Convention of 1972 sets out the duties of State Parties in identifying potential cultural and natural sites for inscription on the World Heritage List. And, 195 countries (member states) have ratified the Convention as of date. India ratified the Convention in November 1977.

As of date, 1,199 properties are inscribed by 168 State Parties on the World Heritage List. All matters related to World Heritage Conventions are taken during the Session of the World Heritage Committee, the ministry said.

The WHC comprises representatives from 21 State Parties to the World Heritage Convention, elected by the General Assembly of the UNESCO. Current members of the WHC include India, Argentina, Belgium, Italy, Ukriane and Vietnam.

India was elected to the 21-member WHC in the 23rd General Assembly in 2021 for a period of four years (2021-2025). This is India's fourth term on the WHC. India was the WHC member earlier for three terms: 1985-1991, 2001-2007 and 2011-2015.

India has 42 properties inscribed on the World Heritage List which include 34 cultural sites, seven natural sites and one mixed heritage site, the statement said.

Twelve sites have been added in the last 10 years which includes last year's inscriptions of the Santiniketan (West Bengal) and Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (Karnataka) during the Extended 45th Session of the WHC held in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).

India is the sixth country on the list and second in the Asia Pacific Region based on the numbers of the World Heritage List. In addition, India has 57 sites on the Tentative List of the World Heritage.