India Hosts First-Ever UNESCO Panel on Protecting Intangible Heritage

December 7, 2025

New Delhi: Aiming to project India’s soft power, the Union Ministry of Culture (MoC) will host the six-day 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage from Monday at the historic Red Fort, an official said.

India’s Presence in UNESCO

To date, 15 Indian elements have been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List, and the country has served on the Intergovernmental Committee for three terms, a Ministry official said in a statement.

Purpose of Hosting the Session

By hosting the 20th session of the ICH Committee from December 8 to 13, India seeks to bring greater global visibility to its intangible or living heritage — including lesser-known traditions, local crafts, and regional festivals — thereby attracting global support, interest, research, tourism, and resource mobilisation.

About the 2003 UNESCO Convention

For safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, UNESCO adopted the 2003 Convention on October 17, 2003, during its 32nd General Conference in Paris. The Convention responded to concerns that living cultural traditions, oral practices, performing arts, social customs, rituals, knowledge systems, and craftsmanship were increasingly threatened by globalisation, social change, and limited resources.

Role of the Intergovernmental Committee

With a shared global commitment to protecting humanity’s living heritage, the Convention established mechanisms for cooperation and recognition, laying the foundation for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage lists and the Committee’s ongoing work.
The Committee promotes and monitors the objectives of the Convention, guides best practices, recommends safeguarding measures, drafts plans for the use of the ICH Fund, mobilises additional resources, and proposes operational directives.

India’s Cultural Diplomacy Goals

The six-day session at the Red Fort, organised by the Ministry and its autonomous body Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA), will enable India to leverage the global spotlight to strengthen domestic initiatives such as documentation, inventorying, nominations, and community engagement, especially among youth.
The Ministry also aims to use the platform for cultural diplomacy, showcasing India’s cultural richness, diversity, and heritage leadership. The event is expected to reinforce the link between heritage conservation and sustainable development — treating intangible heritage as a resource for livelihoods, identity, social cohesion, and cultural tourism.