Deepavali added to Unesco's heritage list, PM Modi hails global recognition

Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights, has been added to Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The announcement came on Thursday during the 20th session of Unesco’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, currently underway at Delhi’s Red Fort.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the development, saying people in India and across the world were delighted. He said Deepavali is deeply rooted in India’s culture and ethos, symbolising illumination and righteousness, and described it as “the soul of our civilisation".

 

PM Modi added that the festival’s inclusion in Unesco’s heritage list will further enhance its global recognition. "The addition of Deepavali to the Unesco's Intangible Heritage List will contribute to the festival’s global popularity even further. May the ideals of Prabhu Shri Ram keep guiding us for eternity," he said in a post on X.

 

This year also marks the first time India is hosting Unesco’s annual meeting, being held from December 8 to 13. 

What does Unesco’s inscription mean for Deepavali?

 

Unesco’s recognition affirms Deepavali as a living tradition that reinforces social cohesion, nurtures traditional craftsmanship, and upholds values of wellbeing, generosity and community spirit. The festival also contributes to multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including livelihood support, gender equality, cultural education and community welfare.

 

Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat delivered India’s national statement following the inscription. He said Deepavali is “deeply emotional” for every Indian and is “felt, lived and absorbed across generations”. With this acknowledgement, Unesco honours “the eternal human longing for renewal, peace and the triumph of good”, he added.

 

Shekhawat highlighted that millions of artisans, from potters to craftsmen, keep Deepavali’s traditions alive. The Unesco tag, he said, brings responsibility. 

 

The minister urged that children be taught that Deepavali embodies the values of Ram Rajya: good governance. For the coming Deepavali, he appealed to people to “light an extra lamp, a lamp of gratitude, a lamp of peace, a lamp of shared humanity, and a lamp of good governance”.

What other Indian traditions are on Unesco's heritage list?

 

India has 15 elements on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Notable entries include:

• Kumbh Mela
• Kolkata’s Durga Puja
• Gujarat’s Garba
• Yoga
• Vedic chanting
• Ramlila, the traditional theatrical retelling of the Ramayana

What does ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ mean?

 

Unesco emphasises that cultural heritage extends beyond monuments and artefacts to include living practices and expressions transmitted across generations. These include oral traditions, performing arts, rituals, festive events, community knowledge linked to nature and the universe, and traditional craftsmanship.

 

According to Unesco, intangible cultural heritage must be traditional and contemporary, inclusive, representative and community-based.