G20 India: 3rd Culture Working Group meeting concludes, focus on priority areas

The CWG, under India’s G20 presidency, strives to position culture at the heart of policymaking. The 3rd CWG focused on attaining a consensus on the recommendations deliberated in the previous two CWG meetings, which were organized at Khajuraho & Bhubaneswar respectively.

The 3rd Culture Working Group meeting under India’s G20 Presidency concluded in Hampi, Karnataka. The discussions at the 3rd Culture Working Group meeting under India’s G20 presidency came to a close on July 11, 2023. The final session of the 3rd CWG concluded with updates and development towards the upcoming G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting in Varanasi, scheduled to be organised on August 26, 2023.

The CWG, under India’s G20 presidency, strives to position culture at the heart of policymaking. The 3rd CWG focused on attaining a consensus on the recommendations deliberated in the previous two CWG meetings, which were organized at Khajuraho & Bhubaneswar respectively.

Highlights of the meeting:

1) On 10th July, the inaugural session of the third G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) meeting was organised in Hampi and addressed by Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs & Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi. He deliberated on the four priorities of the meeting, and added, “We have progressed from identifying and deliberating the four priorities to seeking consensus on the action-oriented recommendations that would be a significant step in placing culture at the heart of policymaking.”

2) Delegates were also taken on excursion 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. Delegates were also being taken for a coracle ride on the Tungabhadra River.

3) The delegates enjoyed a percussion recital by Vikku Vinayakram, a renowned musician who has made the ghatam an important part of our classical music tradition and taken it to the world stage through fusion music programmes with world musicians. The 30-minute interactive presentation was integrated with Bharatnatyam dancers striking sculpturesque poses against the backdrop of the ruins of the Vijaya Vithala temple complex, bringing alive the glory of the Vijayanagar empire.

4) The G20 delegates participated in a Yoga session in the Hazara Rama Temple in Hampi, as part of the meeting. Further, a tree plantation activity took place at the historic Queens’ Bath in Hampi. The delegates were also given a guided tour of the Royal Enclosure, enabling them to appreciate the rich heritage and architectural marvels of the region.