Third G20 Culture Working Group Meet Begins in 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.