BRICS culture ministers adopt Bhopal Declaration to deepen cultural cooperation
Bhopal, August 8. Culture ministers and representatives from BRICS member and partner countries on August 8 adopted the Bhopal Declaration, outlining a framework for expanding cultural cooperation, promoting creative industries and protecting cultural heritage among the grouping’s members.
The declaration was adopted at the 11th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting held in Bhopal under India’s BRICS chairship. The meeting brought together representatives of 14 countries, including 10 BRICS members and four partner countries, with around 55 delegates participating in the broader Culture Track meetings.
The participating BRICS members were Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the UAE, while Belarus, Cuba, Kazakhstan and Thailand participated as partner countries. Egypt joined the ministerial meeting virtually, while the culture ministers of Indonesia, South Africa and the UAE attended the meeting.
The discussions were held under India’s overarching BRICS theme, ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’, with a focus on converting dialogue into practical initiatives and strengthening institutional cooperation in the cultural sector.
The Bhopal Declaration seeks to promote cooperation in cultural and creative industries and the creative economy, including the exchange of expertise and best practices, support for creators, professional networking and greater market access through digital tools.
The declaration also calls for closer cooperation on UNESCO multinational nominations, provenance research and the return and restitution of cultural property. The countries will also explore the use of artificial intelligence-based tools to help trace cultural objects.
Other areas covered include the protection of traditional knowledge systems and traditional cultural expressions, as well as greater collaboration among museums, libraries and archives on documentary heritage, digitisation and conservation.
The declaration further stresses the need to protect creators’ rights and ensure transparency and fair remuneration when copyrighted works are used in artificial intelligence systems.
As part of its BRICS Culture Track initiatives, India announced a pilot project to establish a Voluntary Artist Registry. The proposed registry is intended to facilitate cultural exchanges, strengthen professional networks and create more opportunities for artists and creative professionals across BRICS countries.
A key feature of India’s BRICS chairship was the BRICS Culture Festival, held in Bhopal on August 6-7. Belarus, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia and the UAE showcased their artistic traditions through cultural performances during the two-day festival.
The festival was centred on the Indian ethos ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’, or ‘Harmony and Peace to All’, and sought to promote cultural dialogue, artistic exchanges and people-to-people ties. A collective performance of the theme in the languages of participating countries on the concluding day highlighted unity through cultural diversity.
The Culture Track also provided opportunities for bilateral discussions, with Indian officials holding meetings with participating countries to explore ways to expand bilateral cultural cooperation and identify areas of mutual interest.
The visiting delegations were also given an opportunity to experience India’s cultural and civilisational heritage. They visited the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya in Bhopal on August 5 and were taken to Sanchi following the ministerial meeting to explore its Buddhist heritage.
The delegations are scheduled to visit Bhimbetka on August 9 to see its prehistoric rock shelters and ancient cultural heritage.
India thanked the participating BRICS members and partner countries for their engagement during its chairship and reaffirmed its commitment to building a more connected, inclusive and future-oriented cultural partnership within BRICS.
