BRICS countries have agreed to strengthen cooperation on the repatriation of stolen or illegally trafficked cultural and archaeological assets…reports Asian Lite News Desk
BRICS countries have reached a consensus on strengthening cooperation to return cultural and archaeological assets stolen or illegally trafficked from their countries of origin, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Saturday.
The agreement was reached at the 11th BRICS Meeting of Ministers of Culture in Bhopal, which concluded a three-day series of meetings held under India’s BRICS chairmanship with the adoption of the Bhopal Declaration.
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, Shekhawat said the declaration was designed to go beyond broad statements of intent by setting out specific objectives and a roadmap for implementation.
He said 14 countries participated in the ministerial meeting, including 10 BRICS member countries and four partner countries. A total of 55 delegates attended the meeting.
The minister said the discussions built on earlier meetings of the BRICS Culture Group, including a virtual meeting held on April 29-30 and a working group meeting in Varanasi on June 4-5.
During India’s chairmanship, the Culture Group’s agenda focused on “building a strong foundation for resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainable development”, according to Shekhawat.
He said the objective was to establish cultural cooperation that was practical, sustainable and capable of effective implementation.
The restitution of cultural assets emerged as one of the key areas of discussion. Countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in recovering archaeological and cultural objects that had been stolen or illicitly trafficked from their countries of origin.
Shekhawat said such objects should not be viewed only in terms of their economic value, but also as representations of the history, heritage and sentiments of communities and nations.
“Their (cultural assets) return, therefore, is also a matter of cultural justice,” he said.
Highlighting India’s efforts to recover cultural treasures from overseas, Shekhawat said only 13 archaeological and cultural objects had been successfully returned to India from abroad before 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office.
That figure has now crossed 700, he said, adding that he was confident it could reach 1,000 by the end of the year if the current pace of efforts continues.
The Bhopal Declaration also focuses on strengthening the institutional framework for cultural cooperation between BRICS members and partners.
According to Shekhawat, the document provides a shared roadmap covering both traditional and contemporary areas of culture and heritage, with a particular focus on the cultural and creative industries.
BRICS countries discussed ways to create greater opportunities for artists, creators and craftspeople in the expanding global creative economy.
The discussions included sharing best practices, strengthening artist networks and exploring ways to connect artists and craftspeople with new markets through digital platforms.
Shekhawat said the approach was intended to extend cultural cooperation beyond government-to-government relations and strengthen links between artists and communities.
India’s proposal to establish a Voluntary Artist Registry received support from all partner countries at the Bhopal meeting.
The proposed registry is intended to connect professionals working across the cultural and artistic sectors in BRICS countries, potentially creating opportunities for artists to work in other member countries, display their work and collaborate on creative projects.
Shekhawat said the initiative could strengthen professional networks while encouraging artists to learn from each other’s traditions and experiences.
The declaration also places emphasis on cooperation through UNESCO’s multilateral nomination process.
Shekhawat said countries could explore greater collaboration on joint nominations of cultural and historical heritage sites with shared significance.
BRICS countries are expected to strengthen cooperation in preserving, promoting and securing international recognition for heritage with common historical and cultural value.
The minister said the Bhopal Declaration could provide a new direction for cultural cooperation among BRICS countries by combining institutional collaboration with practical initiatives involving artists, cultural practitioners, heritage conservation and the creative economy.
The three-day meetings brought together representatives from member and partner countries to discuss ways of deepening cultural ties and creating mechanisms for long-term cooperation.
The agreement on cultural restitution, along with the proposed artist registry and greater cooperation on heritage nominations, formed part of India’s broader effort to place practical initiatives at the centre of its BRICS cultural agenda.
Shekhawat said the declaration would provide a framework for countries to translate their discussions into concrete initiatives while strengthening cultural exchanges and cooperation across the grouping.
