1. Home
  2. Current Affairs
  3. News Crux
  4. India to Host UNESCO ICH Committee Session

India to Host UNESCO ICH Committee Session

  • 08 Dec 2025

On 8th December 2025, India began hosting the six-day 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the historic Red Fort.

  • The Union Ministry of Culture organised the event to project India’s soft power and highlight its rich intangible cultural heritage before the global community.
  • India currently has 15 elements inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, reflecting the country’s cultural depth and diversity.
  • The country has already served three terms on the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee, demonstrating its active participation and leadership in global heritage conversations.
  • By hosting the 20th session from December 8 to 13, India aims to amplify global visibility for its living traditions, including local crafts, regional festivals, and lesser-known cultural practices.
  • The session is grounded in the 2003 UNESCO Convention, adopted during the 32nd General Conference in Paris, which was established to address threats to living traditions due to globalisation, social shifts, and resource limitations.