INDIA HOSTS UNESCO’S 20th Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) COMMITTEE SESSION

India is hosting the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) for the first time. The event is being held at the Red Fort, New Delhi, from 8–13 December.

Address by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar

• At the opening ceremony on 8 December, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted the significance of intangible heritage.
• He said traditions, languages, music, craftsmanship, and other heritage forms are the most “democratic expression of culture”—owned by all and guarded by many.
• The session marks 20 years since India ratified the 2003 UNESCO Convention (ratified in 2005).

Understanding Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)

• As per UNESCO, intangible cultural heritage includes the knowledge, practices, skills, expressions, objects, and cultural spaces that communities recognize as part of their identity.
• It is transmitted across generations and constantly evolves, strengthening cultural identity and diversity.
• The 2003 Convention for safeguarding ICH was adopted at the 32nd UNESCO General Conference in Paris on 17 October 2003.

Event Organized by Ministry of Culture

• The event is being jointly organized by the Union Ministry of Culture (MoC) and its autonomous body, the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA).
• Sangeet Natak Akademi serves as the nodal agency for safeguarding intangible heritage in India.
• The venue, the 17th-century Red Fort, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its architecture, palaces, gardens, and museums.

India’s Inscribed UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Elements

To date, 15 Indian elements have been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:

1. Tradition of Vedic chanting (2008) – All states
2. Ramlila (2008) – All states
3. Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre (2008) – Kerala
4. Ramman, ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas (2009) – Uttarakhand
5. Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama (2010) – Kerala
6. Kalbelia folk songs and dances (2010) – Rajasthan
7. Chhau dance (2010) – Eastern India
8. Buddhist chanting of Ladakh (2012) – Ladakh & Jammu & Kashmir
9. Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing (2013) – Manipur
10. Brass and copper craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru (2014) – Punjab
11. Yoga (2016) – All states
12. Nawrouz (2016) – All states
13. Kumbh Mela (2017) – Multiple sites
14. Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021) – West Bengal
15. Garba of Gujarat (2023) – Gujarat

Source: PIB