Ministry of Culture of the Republic of India

11/28/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/28/2024 05:12

Cultural Exchange ProgrammeS

Ministry of Culture

Cultural Exchange ProgrammeS

Posted On: 28 NOV 2024 4:35PM by PIB Delhi

Ministry of Culture signs Cultural Exchange Programmes (CEPs) for disseminating Indian art and culture across the globe.

The Cultural Exchange Programmes promote India's soft power for developing and strengthening India's inter-cultural relations with other countries. The CEPs facilitate cultural exchanges with the other countries in different areas like music and dance, theatre, museums & science museums, libraries, archives, protection and conservation of historic monuments and archaeological sites, literature, research & documentation, festival, among others.

As on date Ministry of Culture has CEPs under negotiation with 144 countries. There are valid signed CEPs with 84 countries listed in Annexure-I.

The Festival of India (FoI) abroad seek to promote India's rich cultural heritage and enhance India's image in the global arena in a concerted manner. FoIs are organized with the aim of having a lasting impact on the people of the country where FoI is held. Thus, they are tools of inter-cultural understanding and cultural diplomacy that project the soft power of India. This soft approach is expected to benefit Indian in the fields of tourism, health, education, commerce etc. and provide strategic depth to the growing influence of India.

The main focus of Fol is to connect and enhance the perception of India in the minds of citizens of the countries where the festival is being held. This would ultimately lead to more tangible results in terms of trade and commerce, inbound tourism, medical tourism, Ayush, etc. Broadly, Festivals of India abroad are conducted with the objectives to:

i. Promote Indian Culture abroad.

ii. Strengthen bonds of foreign countries with India.

iii. Promote bilateral cultural contacts.

iv. Project India's cultural image abroad.

v. Promote inbound tourism.

Since 2013-14 till date, 62 Festivals of India in 59 countries have been held.

This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

ANNEXURE-I

LIST OF COUNTRIES WITH WHOM MINISTRY OF CULTURE, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA HAS SIGNED CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES

S. No.

Name of Country

S. No.

Name of Country

S. No.

Name of Country

Australia

31.

Hungary

61.

Sierra Leone

Algeria

32.

Italy

62.

Seychelles

Armenia

33.

Iceland

63.

Suriname

Bangladesh

34.

Jamaica

64.

Sudan

Bahrain

35.

Kenya

65.

South Africa

Brunei

36.

Kazakhstan

66.

Saudi Arabia

Belarus

37.

Kyrgyzstan

67.

Spain

Brazil

38.

Lithuania

68.

Sri Lanka

Benin

39.

Mexico

69.

South Korea

Botswana

40.

Malaysia

70.

Tajikistan

Bulgaria

41.

Malawi

71.

Timor-Leste

Bolivia

42.

Mauritania

72.

Turkmenistan

Czech Republic

43.

Morocco

73.

Tanzania

Cuba

44.

Maldives

74.

Tunisia

Chile

45.

Mauritius

75.

Thailand

Cambodia

46.

Mali

76

Uganda

China

47.

Netherlands

77.

United Kingdom

Comoros

48.

Norway

78.

Ukraine

Croatia

49.

Nigeria

79.

UAE

Canada

50.

Oman

80.

Uzbekistan

Colombia

51.

Panama

81.

Vietnam

Denmark

52.

Portugal

82.

Venezuela

Djibouti

53.

Peru

83.

Zambia

Ethiopia

54.

Rwanda

84.

Zimbabwe

Ecuador

55.

Romania

Egypt

56.

Russian Federation

Finland

57.

Serbia

France

58.

Slovakia

Ghana

59.

Slovenia

Guyana

60.

Senegal

***

Sunil Kumar Tiwari


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