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

 

 

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

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