UNESCO’s 20th ICH Session in India: Strengthening the Future of Living Heritage

The Government of India will host the 20th Session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) from 8–13 December 2025 in New Delhi. This is significant because India is hosting the ICH Committee session for the first time, marking a major milestone in its cultural diplomacy. The venue—Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site—symbolises the coming together of India’s rich tangible and intangible heritage. The event also aligns with the 20th anniversary of India’s ratification (2005) of the UNESCO 2003 Convention, highlighting the country’s long-term commitment to preserving diverse cultural practices, traditions, and expressions that form the core of its civilisational identity.

Historical Background

The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage was adopted on 17 October 2003 during UNESCO’s 32nd General Conference in Paris. It emerged as a global response to increasing concerns that living cultural traditions—oral expressions, performing arts, social customs, rituals, traditional knowledge systems, and craftsmanship—were becoming vulnerable due to globalisation, rapid social transformation, and resource constraints.
The Convention placed communities, especially indigenous groups and practitioners, at the centre of safeguarding efforts, recognising their primary role in creating, maintaining, and transmitting intangible heritage. It emphasized the interdependence between tangible and intangible heritage, the importance of international cooperation, and the need to raise awareness among younger generations.

Purposes of the Convention

The key objectives of the 2003 Convention are:
1. To safeguard intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in all its expressions.
2. To ensure respect for the ICH of concerned communities, groups, and individuals.
3. To raise awareness at local, national, and international levels about the importance of ICH and to ensure mutual appreciation of cultural diversity.
4. To promote international cooperation and assistance to support the preservation and transmission of living heritage worldwide.

Functions of the Intergovernmental Committee

1. Promoting and monitoring the implementation of the 2003 Convention across all Member States.
2. Providing guidance on best safeguarding practices and recommending measures for the protection of ICH.
3. Preparing and submitting to the General Assembly the draft plan for the use of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.
4. Mobilising additional resources for the Fund as per Convention guidelines.
5. Drafting and proposing operational directives for the practical implementation of the Convention.
6. Examining periodic reports submitted by States Parties and preparing their summaries for the General Assembly.
7. Evaluating requests from Member States and taking decisions on:
Inscription of heritage elements on UNESCO’s ICH Lists (Articles 16, 17 and 18).
Granting of international assistance to support safeguarding measures.

20th Session of Intergovernmental Committee

The Ministry of Culture (MoC), Government of India and its autonomous body, the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) are the nodal agencies to host the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee at the Red Fort (Lal Qila) in New Delhi. This magnificent 17th-century fort in Delhi, known for its stunning red sandstone walls and grand architecture, palaces, gardens, and museums, is itself on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Key Agendas of India at the 20th Session of the ICH Committee

1. Showcase India’s ICH Safeguarding Model: Present India’s comprehensive safeguarding framework—combining institutional mechanisms, community participation, documentation, research, and national inventories—as a global best practice for other countries to adopt.
2. Strengthen International Cooperation: Promote collaborative efforts such as joint nominations, cross-border safeguarding initiatives, knowledge-sharing, technical exchange, and capacity-building programmes, especially among Global South nations.
3. Enhance Global Visibility for India’s ICH: Highlight both well-known and lesser-known Indian traditions—regional festivals, tribal rituals, crafts, folk arts—thereby expanding opportunities for global research, tourism, funding, and partnerships.
4. Stimulate Domestic Preservation Efforts: Use the global spotlight to encourage documentation, inventory preparation, digitisation, community engagement, youth participation, and preparation of future nomination dossiers.
5. Strengthen India’s Cultural Diplomacy: Leverage the event to project India’s soft power, civilisational richness, cultural diversity, and leadership in heritage governance at the international stage.
6. Link Heritage with Sustainable Development: Emphasise the role of ICH in livelihood generation, community identity, social cohesion, cultural tourism, and eco-friendly practices, aligning with SDGs and national development agendas.

India’s Intangible Cultural Heritage: A National & Global Asset

1. Social and Cultural Value: ICH sustains multiple identities—linguistic, ethnic, tribal, regional, and religious—strengthening pluralism, unity, and social cohesion in a diverse nation.
2. Livelihood and Economic Value: Traditional arts, crafts, performances, and cultural tourism support livelihoods of artisans, performers, craftspeople, and tribal communities. State-backed schemes prevent skill erosion and support inclusive rural development.
3. Educational and Knowledge Value: ICH carries traditional ecological knowledge, oral histories, craftsmanship techniques, medicinal practices, folklore, and rituals. When documented and taught, these strengthen cultural literacy and ensure intergenerational transmission.
4. Diplomatic and Soft-Power Value: India’s vibrant festivals, dances, crafts, and oral traditions project its civilisational depth globally. Hosting the session boosts India’s soft power, global cultural leadership, and diplomatic outreach.
5. Global Heritage Governance Value: India’s active UNESCO engagement positions it as a key advocate for developing countries, ensuring global heritage frameworks remain inclusive, community-centred, and culturally balanced.

India’s Contributions to Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)

India’s intangible cultural heritage—spanning living traditions, oral expressions, performing arts, rituals, crafts, and community-based practices—is one of the richest in the world. Because these traditions are dynamic and transmitted across generations, they require systematic institutional support to ensure preservation, continuity, and global recognition.
To address this need, the Ministry of Culture launched the Scheme for Safeguarding the Intangible Heritage and Diverse Cultural Traditions of India as a centralised mechanism to coordinate and strengthen previously scattered preservation efforts. Complementing this, the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) has been actively involved in capacity building, conducting workshops, training programmes, and awareness initiatives to strengthen community and practitioner participation in ICH safeguarding.
The Scheme aims to revitalise institutions, practitioners, scholars, communities, and organisations engaged in preserving intangible heritage. It enhances national and international recognition of Indian cultural traditions—especially through UNESCO nominations—while supporting a diverse set of stakeholders including state governments, universities, NGOs, cultural bodies, research institutions, and individual practitioners.
Key Activities Under the Scheme
1. Documentation and development of national ICH inventories
2. Preservation and promotion of cultural expressions and endangered traditions
3. Preparation of UNESCO nomination dossiers
4. Capacity building and training for artists and practitioners
5. Workshops, festivals, and performances to promote cultural awareness
6. Dissemination initiatives through publications and digital platforms
7. Integration of culture with education, especially for youth engagement
8. Skill development support through Sector Skill Councils under NVEQF

India’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Inscribed by UNESCO

India is an active State Party to the UNESCO 2003 Convention and has played a significant role in global heritage governance. Through institutions such as the Ministry of Culture and the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India has consistently worked to advance recognition of its cultural traditions at the international level.
So far, 15 Indian elements have been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. These inscriptions testify to India’s civilisational depth, cultural diversity, and living heritage continuity.

These inscriptions also reflect India’s commitment to safeguarding diverse cultural expression through community participation, documentation, training, and transmission, principles central to the 2003 convention. These inscriptions range from ancient performing arts like Kutiyattam and Chhau, to sacred traditions such as Vedic chanting, Buddhist chanting in Ladakh, and community-based practices like Ramlila, Ramman, and Sankirtana. Everyday cultural knowledge systems are equally represented through the metalcraft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, the Kalbelia community’s dynamic music and dance, and large-scale social-spiritual gatherings like the Kumbh Mela. Elements such as Yoga, Durga Puja, and Garba showcase India’s vibrant contemporary cultural identity, while Novruz, celebrated across several countries including India, highlights regional cultural interconnectedness.

Conclusion

India’s hosting of the 20th UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee session marks a milestone, blending symbolic significance with a real chance to lead. With a strong heritage infrastructure and history of cultural diversity, India is ready to showcase and share its safeguarding model. This event offers India an opportunity to highlight its living heritage, foster global cooperation, and shape a renewed approach to preserving intangible cultural heritage for current and future generations.
The success of the 20thsession of the Intergovernmental Committee in New Delhi will reflect positively on UNESCO, the Government of India, and the vitality of India’s cultural traditions. India’s heritage lives through its people, expressed in its languages, arts, rituals, festivals, and belief systems. Hosting this year’s session shows India’s enduring commitment to safeguarding its cultural legacy for future generations.