New Delhi. India’s Diwali festival has been included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Expressing happiness over this historic decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Diwali is deeply connected with the culture and values of our country. UNESCO on Wednesday released the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It also features cultural symbols from several countries, including Ghana, Georgia, Congo, Ethiopia and Egypt.
Prime Minister Modi said, people in India and around the world are very happy with this news. For us, Diwali is the soul of our civilization. It is a symbol of light and religion. With the inclusion of Diwali in this list of UNESCO, this festival will become more popular globally. Also said that the ideals of Lord Shri Ram should always guide us.
Conservation in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List will give recognition and protection to festivals like Diwali across the world. This will further strengthen Indian cultural heritage. It will also help in understanding the importance of traditional festivals among the young generation.
Let us tell you that this decision has come at a time when Delhi is hosting the 20th meeting of UNESCO’s Inter-Governmental Committee for Intangible Heritage. It will run from 8 to 13 December. Seeing this opportunity, the Central Government has decided to hold a special Diwali celebration on 10th December, so that India’s cultural identity can be presented in a strong way before the world.
The UNESCO list includes such cultural and traditional things of the world which cannot be touched but can be experienced. These are called intangible world heritage. Its objective is that these cultural heritages remain safe and reach the coming generations. At present, 15 heritage sites of India have already made it to the list of Intangible World Heritage. It also includes Durga Puja, Kumbh Mela, Vedic chanting, Ramlila, Chhau dance.