EAM Jaishankar calls for revival of traditions to counter colonial legacy

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said pluralism has been in the past suppressed by colonialism and big power dominance, and it was essential to give voice to traditions, heritage and ideas amid attempts to democratise the world order.

Addressing the Global Media Dialogue along with Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) here, he also made a strong pitch for smoother mobility for talent to contribute to stronger creativity.

Jaishankar also highlighted the enormous possibilities that the era of artificial intelligence (AI) holds and asserted that "technology and tradition must go hand in hand".

Amid increasing influence of artificial intelligence, the External Affairs Minister cautioned that irresponsible use of emerging technologies will be an increasing preoccupation and reducing bias, democratising content, and prioritising its ethics were all part of the emerging discourse.

"The truth is that the world is essentially, intrinsically and essentially diverse, and that pluralism has been suppressed in the past by both colonialism and big power dominance," Jaishankar said addressing representatives from 60 countries.

"As we seek now to democratise the international system, it is not enough to just assert political and economic independence. It is equally essential that we give voice to our traditions, to our heritage, to ideas, to practices, and to our creativity," he said.

Jaishankar said there were many voices, many experiences, and many truths that make up the world and each one has the right to express itself and must be facilitated to do so.

The minister mooted harnessing more effectively the power of technology to facilitate the right to expression.

"In its application and evolution, we must be guided by the belief that modernity is not a rejection of the past, but a constant quest built on human achievements. For that reason, technology and tradition must go hand in hand," he said.

Jaishankar said technology can strengthen awareness of the vast heritage and deepen consciousness about it, especially for younger generations.

"We also bear in mind that innovation is key for leapfrogging that will create a developed India by 2047 -? what we call Viksit Bharat," he said.

Jaishankar said digital connectivity and physical logistics were making global workplace and workforce make this a growing reality  "But we need accompanying shifts in mindsets, frameworks, policies and practices. Remember, neither talent nor tasking will be stationary.Smoother mobility can certainly contribute to stronger creativity," he said.

Jaishankar also underscored the need to prepare young talent to get attention in an era where the flow of information is immense.

"Today, there is a surfeit of information and the challenge is actually how to get attention. This challenge is what will make ours an age of creative-coms, of creative sports, of creative collaborations. And it is particularly important that young talent is made ready for it, including through skills diffusion," the minister said.

Jaishankar said the era of AI holds possibilities beyond imagination and such deep changes were never visualised across such vast domains.

"Never before can we combine innovations from such diverse fields so effectively. Our very sense of the past and the present can be redefined even as we are working for the future, with all its accompanying consequences," he said  The minister said every advancement came with its own issues and AI will be no different.

Jaishankar said even as the politics of this era will grapple with the concerns of authenticity, businesses will have to deal with new intellectual property challenges as they promote innovation and creativity for all.

"The responsible use of emerging technologies will be an increasing preoccupation. Reducing bias, democratizing content and prioritizing its ethics are all part of the emerging discourse. And there is much more there that will unfold," Jaishankar said.