India Considers Multinational Bid to List ‘Chhath’ as UNESCO Intangible Heritage

Speedy Summary

• The Union Culture Ministry held a meeting on September 16, 2025, with diplomatic representatives from the UAE, Suriname, and the Netherlands to seek their cooperation for nominating India’s Chhath festival for UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• The meeting was organized at Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts (IGNCA),chaired by Vivek Aggarwal (Secretary,ministry of Culture),and attended by officials from multiple ministries and organizations.
• Diplomatic representatives expressed support for the nomination due to it’s importance in Indian diaspora communities within their countries.
• A virtual interaction followed between India’s Union Culture Secretary and ambassadors/high commissioners of Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, UAE, and Netherlands to align efforts on identifying communities and collecting data for UNESCO submission.
• Chhath Festival, one of India’s oldest festivals celebrated in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh & West Bengal – promotes ecological responsibility with inclusive rituals beyond caste or religion. It is indeed also celebrated widely among Indian diaspora communities abroad.
• Inscription would spotlight India’s cultural traditions on a global stage while boosting pride among diaspora populations worldwide.
• India currently has 15 elements already inscribed under UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The attempt to nominate Chhath Festival as an intangible cultural heritage underlines India’s strategy to use global platforms like UNESCO to highlight its rich cultural diversity while fostering international engagement through shared traditions within diaspora contexts. By emphasizing inclusivity across caste and religion along with eco-conscious values inherent in Chhath rituals, this move could aid in raising awareness about how ancient cultural practices contribute meaningfully toward modern sustainability goals.

For India’s global positioning as a leader in safeguarding intangible heritage-with over 15 elements already recognized-this nomination represents an affirmation of soft power diplomacy connecting domestic identity with international recognition while involving host countries like Mauritius and Netherlands where diasporic roots thrive strongly.

This initiative also reflects ongoing efforts by ministries such as External Affairs & Culture in promoting mutual partnerships through celebrating universal humanistic aspects tied culturally amidst timed-local interconnections globally Read More .