9-Jul-2023: Third G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) meet begins in Hampi, Karnataka
Third G20 Culture Group (CWG) meet began in Hampi, Karnataka from today. Briefing the media in Hampi today, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Shri Govind Mohan said that the 3rd Culture Working Group Meeting under India's G20 presidency is being organized in Hampi, Karnataka from 9th -12th July.
He also said that the meeting will be attended by delegates from G20 members, guest nations, and several international organizations.
He informed that the first two CWG meetings were held at Khajuraho and Bhubaneswar. In the third meeting at Hampi around 50 participants are participating from the G20 member countries, invitee countries and seven multilateral organizations. He also informed that four expert-driven Global Thematic Webinars were organized and these have been successful as all the 29 countries and seven multilateral organizations participated in the webinars.
Shri Govind Mohan said that the 3rd CWG meeting will now try to achieve a consensus on the recommendations and best practices shared pertaining to the 4 priorities of the CWG. He informed that the Culture Working Group's meetings center around 4 main priority areas that have been outlined as part of the Culture Track during India's G20 Presidency. The 4 priority areas are: Protection and Restitution of Cultural Property; Harnessing Living Heritage for a Sustainable Future; Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries and Creative Economy; and Leveraging Digital Technologies for the Protection and Promotion of Culture.
Shri Govind Mohan also said that the focus is on evolving joint statement among the member countries for Culture Ministerial Meeting to be held in August at Varanasi.
Giving more details on the theme of ‘Protection and Restitution of Cultural Property’ he said that the UNESCO convention of 1970 enjoins on signatory parties to voluntarily return those artifacts belonging to other countries which have been taken there because of colonial plunder, or because of post-colonial misappropriation like smuggling, theft etc. He said that there is an effort in the meetings that all the G20 countries should become signatory to the convention which will benefit India.
He also informed that bilaterally also India is trying to have agreements with countries and this was visible in the Joint Statement of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to the Unites States. The Cultural Property Agreement being negotiated between India and US will enable the US authorities to intercept smuggled goods and artefacts and return them expeditiously. He also informed that around 150 Artifacts are expected to return from US in the next three to six months.
Speaking on the second theme of ‘Harnessing Living Heritage for a Sustainable Future’ he said that the theme aims to improve the rights of the indigenous people and safeguards against misappropriation of traditional practices. The theme aims to have discussion so that the practicing communities should benefit from any kind of commercialization of the living heritage.
Briefing on the third theme of ‘Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries and Creative Economy’ he said that there is a thrust on creating mechanisms to understand what kind of cultural footprints are getting created at cultural monuments, cultural places and to create a creative economy through that understanding.
Speaking on the fourth theme ‘Leveraging Digital Technologies for the Protection and Promotion of Culture’ he said the entire cultural world is undergoing a digital revolution through Augmented Reality, Virtual reality and Emersives. There is a focus on creating mechanism to allow inter-operability , so that digital products can be shared across boundaries.
He also said that an exhibition titled “Woven Narratives” is being organized as part of the 3rd G20 CWG Meeting at Hampi. The exhibition’s theme focuses on the third priority outlined by the CWG - ‘Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries and Creative Economy’. This exhibition brings into focus the role of hand weaving across India’s creative and geographical contexts, by drawing attention to their distinct ecologies of manufacture, trade and use. The exhibits on view are conceptualised and created by those who practice as artisans, craftspersons, artists and designers, employing a range of expertise and skills in hand weaving. The exhibition will be open to the public from 14th July to 14th August.
Briefing the media Joint Secretary, Ms Lily Pandeya said that the third culture working group meeting is being attended by all the 20 countries along with the 9 dialogue partners of the guest nations and the seven international organizations.
She informed that in this meeting aim is to arrive at the consensus and the language of the culture ministerial declaration.
She also informed that a report of the global thematic webinars will be launched during the Culture Ministerial meeting in Varanasi on 26th August this year. She said that a robust declaration with action oriented tangible outcomes is expected from the last meeting.
Speaking on the Lambani embroidery work exhibition , Ms Pandeya said the CWG aims to enter the Guinness Book of World Records by creating the largest display of Lambani embroidery patches . The theme for the exhibit is ‘Culture Unites All’, which will be inaugurated by Shri Prahlad Joshi, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines. This attempt will involve over 450 women artisans from the Lambani community, closely associated with Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra displaying around 1300 lambani embroidery patch works made by them.
She also informed that a range of cultural experiences has been carefully selected and arranged for the delegates to witness throughout their visit. These include a visit to heritage sites like the Vijaya Vittala Temple, the Royal Enclosure, and the Yeduru Basavanna complex of the Hampi Group of Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
She informed that delegates will also experience the famous Coracle Ride in the Tungabhadra River. DIY activities like Leather puppetry, Ganjifa artwork, Bidri artwork and Kinhal craft have been arranged for the delegates to participate and cherish. Bamboo Symphony band and other cultural performances will be presented to the delegates.
The Culture Working Group is working with delegates of the G20 members, guest nations and international organisations through an inclusive process of in-depth discussions. These deliberations aimed to reaffirm critical areas for collaborative action and to further develop tangible recommendations and best practices for Sustainable Development.
28-Mar-2023: Culture Working Group (CWG) of G20 organizes global thematic webinar on Protection and Restitution of Cultural Property today
The Culture Working Group (CWG) under India’s G20 Presidency in association with UNESCO as the Knowledge Partner organized the global thematic webinar on, "Protection and Restitution of Cultural Property” today.
Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Chair, CWG in his opening remarks at the inaugural global thematic webinar suggested , “…Illicit trafficking, which may be driven in part by poverty and greed, is primarily exacerbated by poor education and a lack of awareness. Regardless of the cause, illicit trafficking diminishes the collective memory of people and communities, weakens their sense of identity, and undermines the exercise of their cultural rights.”
The webinar witnessed fruitful discussions and sharing of best practices on the long-standing issue of illicit trafficking and restitution of cultural property, bringing together 40 experts from 28 countries including G20 members and guest nations, as well as 12 international organizations.
During the webinar, it was emphasized that there is a crucial need to improve the inventorying, documentation, risk management, and emergency planning processes to prevent illicit trafficking. Furthermore, it was highlighted that promoting an ethical art market, conducting provenance research, and ensuring transparency, particularly in the G20 members with the biggest art markets, is of utmost importance. The challenges posed by online trading were
also discussed, and the urgent need to strengthen regulations of the online trade of cultural property to curb illicit trafficking was suggested.
Many countries shared examples of recent processes of restitution of cultural property, reflecting notably progress towards ethical collection management, while also highlighting a growing attention of the general public. Some speakers shared specific good practices in that regard, including the creation of a dedicated national committee for the return and repatriation of cultural property.
Several recommendations were formulated to the attention of the G20 membership, including the creation of national institutes of provenance research or the creation of exchange platforms to share examples of cooperation on the return and restitution of cultural property.
A consolidated report of the four global thematic webinars will be produced and shared with G20 members, guest nations and international organizations at the third CWG meeting due in Hampi, Karnataka from 15 July to 18 July 2023. The aim of this report is to be a legacy of the joint work, deliberations, and discussions of the CWG process, with a view to ensure knowledge building over time. The following global thematic webinars on priority two, three and four are scheduled for 13th, 19th and 20th April respectively.
The webinar is first in the series of four Global Thematic Webinars in March and April 2023. These webinars aim to foster an inclusive dialogue and facilitate an in-depth discussion from an expert driven perspective on the four priority areas articulated by the CWG.
In recent years, the issue of the return and restitution of illegally obtained cultural property has gained global attention. Unethical appropriation of artefacts and the threats associated to online trading of cultural property have exacerbated the problem. This renewed focus is also driven by increasing awareness of the historical injustices that have led to the displacement of countless antiquities, particularly from nations in the Global South. The call for the return and restitution of antiquities to their countries of origin are rooted in the desire to reclaim the stories, histories, and identities, carved over centuries and forming the multi-layered wealth of cultural heritage, that have been disrupted or obscured by the unethical appropriation of cultural property.
The issue of illicit trafficking of cultural property remains a key global concern. Limited public awareness and inadequate databases make identifying and tracking stolen objects difficult. The global thematic webinar on priority one of the CWG furthered the dialogue on protection and restitution of cultural property as a part of the call for the return and restoration of cultural heritage that thread the shared identity of the global community.
The webinar had three speaking segments and the interventions by experts were distributed across these segments based on their respective time zone. The webinar was moderated successively by representatives of UNESCO, INTERPOL, and UNIDROIT with expertise on the topic. It was live streamed on the YouTube channel of UNESCO.
23-Feb-2023: Inaugural session of first G20 Working Group (CWG) meeting of Culture held at Maharaja Chhatrasal Convention Centre (MCCC), Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
G20 Working Group Meeting on Culture held in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India, was addressed by Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar and MoS Culture Smt Meenakashi Lekhi. Dr. Virendra Kumar emphasized that culture is a platform for creating sustainable and inclusive development pathways, while Smt Meenakashi Lekhi stated that culture connects us all and acts as a bridge between countries.
The G20 Culture Track's theme "Culture for LiFE" focuses on promoting sustainable living practices deeply rooted in India's rich cultural heritage, such as eco-friendly agriculture, water conservation, and waste management. The G20 working group has to discuss the impediments in the repatriation of treasures and the need to draw up an action plan to facilitate the return of antiquities taken out of the country.
The Culture sector faced challenges during Covid, and there is an urgent need to protect our shared heritage. Culture can be a lever for inclusion, particularly for vulnerable sectors, and its inclusion in the G20 can help address the sector's challenges.
22-Feb-2023: G20 CWG Culture Meeting in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
The first G20 Working Group (CWG) meeting of Culture began in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, with an exhibition titled "Re(ad)dress: Return of Treasures" showcasing repatriation of cultural property. 26 antiquities from India were displayed with photos and visuals of returned objects.
The government's efforts have resulted in 229 antiquities being returned since 2014, and 242 have been repatriated so far from various countries.
Exhibition was conceptualized in six thematic sections: Cultural Heritage, Repatriation of Cultural Property, Historical Precedents, Conventions and Guiding Principles, Global Cooperation, and Glimpses of the Return.
'Parrot Lady' an artefact repatriated from Canada and now housed in ASI site museum at Khajuraho was the highlight of the show.
The meeting has four working group sessions with G20 member states and international organizations, and cultural programs and experiences for delegates.
The exhibition highlights successful examples of repatriation and has a virtual exhibition available online. The delegates will also visit UNESCO World Heritage Site and Panna Tiger Reserve.
G20 Theme: "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam–One Earth, One Family, One Future"