BRICS Culture Summit 2026: From UNESCO to AI, Bhopal Declaration Sets New Roadmap for Cultural Cooperation

Source: Asianet News Hindi | Original Published At: 2026-08-10 13:47:37 UTC

Key Points

• The 11th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting and BRICS Culture Working Group meetings concluded in Bhopal under India’s BRICS chairmanship theme of resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability.
• Fifty-five high-level representatives from 14 countries participated, including 10 BRICS member countries and four partner countries: Belarus, Cuba, Kazakhstan, and Thailand.
• The Bhopal Declaration was adopted unanimously on 8 August 2026 after a series of BRICS Culture Working Group meetings held virtually, in Varanasi, and in Bhopal.
• India’s proposal for a voluntary artist registry was accepted and is expected to develop into a shared BRICS digital platform featuring an artist directory and knowledge exchange on cultural and creative industries.
• BRICS countries agreed to explore joint or multinational UNESCO World Heritage nominations for shared architectural, historical, and cultural traditions.
• The declaration emphasized the return of stolen or trafficked cultural property, AI-based tracking tools, digitization of manuscripts, museums, libraries, and archives, and protection of artists’ rights and copyright transparency.
• The summit also included a BRICS Cultural Festival, heritage visits to Sanchi and Bhimbetka, and exhibitions on Project Mausam, Greater India, and Gyan Bharatam to promote cultural and people-to-people exchange.