‘Intangible heritage is in many ways the most democratic expression of culture,’ says External Affairs Minister Jaishankar

Desk: External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said on Sunday that traditions, languages, music, craftsmanship, and other forms of intangible heritage are in many ways the most democratic expressions of culture, shared by all and protected by many.

At the opening ceremony of a crucial UNESCO meeting on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage at the Red Fort complex in the national capital, Jaishankar told representatives from various countries that nurturing heritage and passing it on to future generations is essential in the shared pursuit of peace and prosperity.

The 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage will be held at the Red Fort from December 8 to 13. This is the first time India is hosting a session of the UNESCO panel. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Khaled El-Enany, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and India’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO Vishal V. Sharma attended the opening ceremony.

Jaishankar emphasized that India, home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is also undertaking numerous conservation and enhancement projects around the world, and that a key dimension of this engagement is the preservation of intangible heritage.

He said, “The world is fundamentally a pluralistic landscape, a landscape whose richness lies in its diversity and complexity. It is not flat; it is a vast array of uniqueness and characteristics, a creativity that is crucial to identity, pride, and history.”

Jaishankar said, “What humanity has achieved over the centuries can only be fully appreciated if that heritage is carefully nurtured.” The Foreign Minister emphasized that challenges in this context arise when attempts are made to dominate, marginalize, dismiss, or even destroy it. The Red Fort, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a monument protected by the ASI.