India to host Second BRICS Culture Working Group Meeting in Varanasi
- IBEF
- June 3, 2026
India is set to host the second meeting of the BRICS Culture Working Group (CWG) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on June 4-5, 2026, as part of its BRICS Chairship. The meeting will bring together representatives from BRICS member countries to strengthen cultural cooperation under India’s 2026 theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Announcing the event in New Delhi, Culture Secretary Mr. Vivek Aggarwal stated that the two-day gathering will serve as a platform for structured multilateral dialogue on cultural issues of shared importance. Senior officials from the Ministry of Culture highlighted that the deliberations would focus on promoting collaboration across cultural institutions, creative sectors and heritage conservation initiatives among BRICS nations. The meeting follows the first CWG session held virtually in April 2026 and reflects India’s continued commitment to expanding cultural engagement within the grouping.
The discussions in Varanasi will be organised around three key thematic priorities: the creative economy and the role of artificial intelligence in cultural and creative industries; protection of cultural heritage and the return of cultural property; and the relationship between culture, climate change and sustainable development. According to the Ministry of Culture, the agenda underscores a collective commitment among BRICS countries to foster innovation, encourage the ethical use of emerging technologies, preserve cultural diversity and strengthen heritage protection efforts. India has played a leading role in BRICS cultural cooperation, having previously hosted BRICS Culture Ministers’ meetings in Goa in 2016 and New Delhi in 2021. The Varanasi meeting will be followed by a third CWG meeting in Bhopal, a BRICS Cultural Festival, a Culture Ministers’ Meeting and a BRICS Theatre Festival later this year, further reinforcing cultural diplomacy within the expanded BRICS framework.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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