BRICS Cultural Ministers Convene in Bhopal for Festival and Working Group Sessions

Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat opened the BRICS Cultural Festival at Ravindra Bhavan in Bhopal, stressing a shared culture of peace, mutual respect and inclusive development among the five BRICS nations. He highlighted Madhya Pradesh’s heritage sites such as Bhimbetka, Sanchi and Khajuraho and invoked the Indian philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.

The four‑day BRICS Culture Working Group meeting began on 5 August 2026, with delegates from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and other invited countries discussing initiatives on the creative economy, copyright, artificial‑intelligence ethics, a BRICS artist registry and a Heritage Provenance Research Hub. Proposals also included a UNESCO cooperation corner, a traditional‑knowledge repository and a digital platform for cultural knowledge sharing. The agenda aims to finalise the Sanchi Cultural Connect Declaration ahead of the 11th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting.