The G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting ended on Saturday after day-long deliberations following which a ministerial Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary — ‘Kashi Culture Pathway’ was issued.
In a fitting closure to the event being hosted in the cultural capital of India, the delegates were treated to a special performance ‘Sur Vasudha’ by a special G20 orchestra — consisting of musicians and performers from 20 member states and nine invitee countries.
The event held at a convention centre here late evening was attended by Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Culture Meenakashi Lekhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Adityanath later also felicitated some of the performers on stage.
‘Kashi Culture Pathway’ is the nomenclature that has been given to the Outcome Document and the Chair’s Summary arrived by the G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting.
Senior officials on Friday had said that deliberations on the draft of the G20 culture ministerial declaration being held here were moving towards a “full consensus”.
It was earlier envisioned to be called ‘Varanasi Culture Ministers’ Declaration’, but sources said Russia’s disagreement over the Russia-Ukraine conflict issue figuring in the discussion, meant it couldn’t be termed a declaration.
Under the “geopolitical issues” sub-head, the outcome document in paragraph 15 says, “The war in Ukraine has further adversely impacted the global economy. There was a discussion on the issue. We reiterated our national positions as expressed in other fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, which, in Resolution…. deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine”.
A footnote on page 10 reads, “Russia rejected the inclusion of geopolitical Para 15, on the basis that it does not conform to the G20 mandate and recognises the status of Para 15 as Chair’s Summary. Russia agrees with the rest of the text”.
Another footnote below it says, “China stated that the G20 Culture Working Group is not the right forum to discuss geopolitical issues and did not support the inclusion of the geopolitical-related content”.
Adityanath and Meghwal together later handed over the ceremonial baton of the special G20 orchestra put together under India’s presidency of the bloc, to the two artistes from Brazil, the country which will assume its presidency next.
Delegates from many countries had on Friday evening, after conclusion of two-day Culture Working Group Meeting had said that it was likely that there won’t be a clear-cut declaration due to Russia’s stand on the conflict.
Recorded visuals of the moments witnessed at the ISRO when the Chandrayaan-3 had completed soft-landing on Moon on August 23 was also played intermittently during the meeting on Saturday, a delegate said.
In June, after the end of the G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Goa too, an ‘Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary’ was issued instead of the envisioned Goa Declaration.
