New Delhi, India, recently hosted the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee, marking a pivotal moment in heritage conservation. On this occasion, ICCROM Director-General met with the Honorable Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, underscoring their commitment to conserving, safeguarding and preserving shared heritage.
This significant meeting, held on 23 July 2024, highlighted the importance of building strong institutional linkages and developing innovative strategies to ensure the resilience and sustainability of cultural heritage for future generations.
During their discussions, the two dignitaries emphasized the critical role of sustained cooperation between India and ICCROM, where heritage plays a vital role in socio-economic growth and well-being.
They explored ways to enhance capacity building for the conservation of both movable and immovable cultural properties, as well as intangible cultural heritage and in the creative economy sector. Key topics included conserving heritage sites, museums, libraries and archives for disaster management and addressing climate change impacts. Key Indian partners to bring forward this overarching framework of collaboration between ICCROM and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of India will be, among others, Archaeological Survey India (ASI) and Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum.
This joint initiative will aim at bringing transformative changes to lives and livelihoods by fostering heritage conservation and resilience as a driver for sustainable development.
The meeting also stressed the importance of investing in capacity building for heritage conservation, viewing it as a responsibility to both present and future generations. Both leaders expressed a strong commitment to enhancing this collaboration, recognizing that protecting and conserving shared heritage is crucial for cultural sustainability.
The partnership between ICCROM and India's Ministry of Culture and Tourism represents a significant step towards enhanced cooperation in heritage conservation, not only to preserve India's rich cultural legacy but also to position the Country as a reference in the Global South, demonstrating how such efforts can yield significant global benefits.
