India at MONDIACULT 2025: Cultural Cooperation, Asia-Pacific Co-Chair Role, and Push for Chhath Mahaparv
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Institutions: Ministry of Culture
The UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2025) concluded in Barcelona, Spain, on October 1, 2025, with the adoption of an outcome document by over 160 Member States. The conference reaffirmed the political will to anchor culture as a global public good and place it at the heart of development and crisis response policies. Key outcomes included a collective call for stronger political and diplomatic recognition of culture in multilateral forums (G20, G7, UN Pact for the Future) and a mandate for greater action on the ground in response to growing needs, citing UNESCO’s interventions in crisis zones. Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to the six thematic priorities, including the ethical challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Culture. Furthermore, the Member States advanced the advocacy effort to establish culture as a stand-alone goal within the next United Nations development strategy. A concrete measure announced was the launch of the Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects to strengthen the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural property.
For India, participation was marked by Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s role as Asia-Pacific Co-Chair, representation at the closing ceremony, The Indian delegation also engaged with the Netherlands and Fiji to build support for the multinational inscription of Chhath Mahaparv under UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) framework. UNESCO ICH recognition protects, promotes, and globalises cultural traditions that might otherwise remain regionally confined. Chhath Mahaparv combines ecological awareness, community participation, and respect for nature, making it a strong candidate for UNESCO’s heritage list.
India can leverage this momentum to build coalitions at the UN for culture as a post-2030 SDG, linking to India’s creative economy and heritage diplomacy, push regional traditions into global frameworks, strengthening cultural identity and tourism and align domestic cultural schemes (Digital India for culture, ICH conservation, Creative Economy missions) with MONDIACULT themes on AI, education, and climate.
What is MONDIACULT? → MONDIACULT (UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development) is UNESCO’s flagship global forum on culture. First convened in 1982 (Mexico City) and later in 2022 (Mexico City), MONDIACULT brings together ministers, civil society, and experts every decade to set international cultural policy agendas.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can India strategically use forums like MONDIACULT to advance both cultural diplomacy and recognition of diverse Indian traditions under global heritage frameworks?
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