At a press conference ahead of the meeting, he also said there was “in-principle agreement” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence at the opening of the event.
Press Trust of India New Delhi
After hosting the G20 summit, the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee, to be held here from July 21 to 31, will be the next milestone, Indian Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Friday.
At a press conference ahead of the meeting, he also said there was “in-principle approval” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the opening of the event.
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Shekhawat said the World Heritage Committee (WHC) meeting would provide an opportunity for India to showcase its rich cultural heritage, the conservation and management of its sites and the importance India gives to its heritage.
When asked about the criteria on which Delhi was chosen as the host city for this important meeting, the Union Minister said Delhi was a “natural choice” for such a culturally important event.
Ahead of the WHC meeting, the government recently launched a public art project featuring works that address, among other things, India's cultural heritage and the country's UNESCO World Heritage sites.
In keeping with the meeting, some of the artworks and sculptures would be inspired by world heritage sites like Bimbetka as well as natural world heritage sites in India, officials said.
The WHC meeting will take place at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the G20 summit.
Currently, India has the sixth largest number of UNESCO sites in the world. The countries with 42 or more World Heritage sites are Italy, Spain, Germany, China and France, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said in a statement.
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