New Delhi [India], December 10 (ANI): UNESCO has inscribed the festival of Deepavali on its list of intangible cultural heritage, Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on Wednesday.
In a post on X, he called it “a joyous moment as Deepavali, the festival of lights, marking the triumph of good over evil and the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom, Ayodhya, which is celebrated globally, is added to the @UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.”
On its website, UNESCO described Deepavali (Diwali) as a light festival observed annually by diverse communities across India, marking the last harvest of the year and the start of a new year and season. Based on the lunar calendar, it falls on the new moon in October or November and spans several days. The festival symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Traditions include cleaning and decorating homes and public spaces, lighting lamps and candles, setting off fireworks, and offering prayers for prosperity and new beginnings.
Several Indian cultural expressions are already on UNESCO’s list: Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana, was added in 2008; Navroz was inscribed in 2024; Garba from Gujarat in 2023; Durga Puja in Kolkata in 2021; Kumbh Mela in 2017; Yoga in 2016; and the traditional brass and copper utensil-making craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, in 2014.
UNESCO defines intangible cultural heritage as the practices, knowledge, expressions, objects, and spaces communities recognize as part of their cultural identity. Passed down through generations, this living heritage evolves, reinforcing identity and respect for cultural diversity.
To safeguard such heritage, UNESCO adopted the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on October 17, 2003, during its 32nd General Conference in Paris. The convention addressed concerns that living traditions—oral practices, performing arts, social customs, rituals, knowledge systems, and craftsmanship—were increasingly threatened by globalization, social change, and resource constraints.
India is hosting UNESCO’s 20th Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee session for the first time from December 8 to 13. The historic Red Fort complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been chosen as the venue, symbolising the convergence of India’s tangible and intangible heritage. India’s permanent delegate to UNESCO, Vishal V. Sharma, will chair the meeting, which coincides with the twentieth anniversary of India’s ratification of the 2003 Convention in 2005, underscoring the country’s commitment to preserving living cultural traditions. (ANI)
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