UNESCO | DD News

October 6, 2025 4:03 PM

UN Cultural Agency Votes for New Chief after US withdrawal

UNESCO will choose its next chief on Monday to lead the organisation after President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from it for a second time. While outgoing chief Audrey Azoulay has worked to diversify funding sources, the U.N. culture and education agency still receives about 8% of its budget from Washington. Once the withdrawal takes effect at the end of 2026, that funding will be cut. The White House described UNESCO as supporting "woke, divisive cultural and social causes" when...

September 30, 2025 10:10 PM

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlights culture as global public good at UNESCO MONDIACULT 2025

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat represented India at the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2025), organized by UNESCO in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday. The event brought together ministers and cultural leaders from across the globe to chart the future of international cultural cooperation. In a significant recognition of India’s role, Shekhawat served as Chair of the Asia-Pacific Group during the Ministerial Plenary Session, which oversaw the ...

September 17, 2025 10:38 AM

India initiates multinational bid to nominate Chhath Mahaparva for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List

The Ministry of Culture on Tuesday initiated consultations with international partners to secure the inclusion of Chhath Mahaparva in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The meeting, held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in New Delhi, brought together senior diplomatic representatives from the United Arab Emirates, Suriname, and the Netherlands to discuss a multinational nomination under UNESCO’s 2003 Convention. The consult...

July 27, 2025 1:34 PM

Every stone is a witness to a historical event: PM Modi on UNESCO recognition of Maratha forts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised UNESCO’s recognition of 12 Maratha forts as a World Heritage Site, stating that these forts symbolise India’s history, culture, and dignity. Addressing the 124th episode of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, the PM urged people to visit the forts located across various parts of India. He emphasised the pride and joy that comes from experiencing these sites, which stand as a testament to the great warriors of the country, even in th...

July 23, 2025 9:44 AM

Trump pulls US out of UN cultural agency UNESCO for second time

President Donald Trump has decided to pull the United States out of the "woke" and "divisive" U.N. culture and education agency UNESCO, the White House said on Tuesday, repeating a move he took in his first term that was reversed by Joe Biden. The withdrawal from the Paris-based agency, which was founded after World War Two to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture, will take effect at the end of next year. The move is in line with the Trump administ...

June 6, 2025 5:09 PM

UNESCO and MeitY wrap up AI Readiness Consultations with focus on ethical AI in India

The UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia, in partnership with the IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Ikigai Law, hosted the fifth and final stakeholder consultation on the AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) at the Shangri-La Eros Hotel in New Delhi on June 3. Over 200 experts from government, academia, industry, and civil society convened to strategize the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in India. This consultati...

April 18, 2025 4:20 PM

Gita and Natyashastra included in UNESCO’s Memory of World Register, PM Modi calls it ‘proud moment’

The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, a noted Hindu scripture, and the Natyashastra, an Indian treatise on performing arts, have been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the development as a proud moment for every Indian. The news was shared by Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. He took to X and informed, "The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita & Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra are now inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Reg...

March 21, 2025 4:38 PM

World Poetry Day 2025: Celebrating the power of poetry to unite and inspire

Poetry has always been a powerful medium for creative souls to express their deepest emotions and complex thoughts, touching hearts and inspiring change. Creative individuals, often soulful and introspective, use poetry to craft artistic compositions that transcend the ordinary, blending words with imagery to leave a lasting impression on readers. In a world grappling with conflicts and strained relationships, poetry serves as a beacon of hope, reinforcing human progress and connection. Recogni...

March 17, 2025 2:06 PM

Ancient Desert Crossroads: Faya Site Reveals Humanity’s 210,000-Year Desert Adaptation

Sharjah's Faya Palaeolandscape, recently nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status, presents compelling evidence of human resilience and adaptation spanning over 210,000 years, while also serving as a crucial link in ancient trade networks connecting Arabia with India. The 29,085-hectare site, located approximately 55 kilometers from both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, features the distinctive Faya Range, a 20-kilometer stretch of limestone formations. This natural ridge acts as a barr...

February 3, 2025 9:57 PM

Cambodia completes restoration of UNESCO-Listed Angkor Park

Cambodia has completed the restoration of a more than 1,000-year-old brick temple located on the north side of Phnom Krom Temple in the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park, the APSARA National Authority (ANA) announced on Monday. Ros Visoth, a Conservation Officer from the ANA's Department of Conservation of Monuments and Preventive Archaeology, stated that the Hindu temple, built in the late ninth century, measures approximately six meters in width and over seven meters in height. The re...