New Delhi [India], October 2 (ANI): The closing ceremony of the UNESCO World Conference on cultural policies and sustainable development, MONDIACULT 2025, concluded in Barcelona on October 1, the Ministry of Culture said on Thursday.

The ceremony began with a cultural performance, followed by the reading of the Youth Forum Conclusions, interventions from civil society, the adoption of the outcome document, an oral report on MONDIACULT 2025, and final remarks.

India was represented at the closing ceremony by Amita Prasad Sarbhai, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Culture, who attended on behalf of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Culture, Government of India. The Minister served as the Co-Chair for the Asia-Pacific Region during MONDIACULT 2025, as per the Ministry of Culture.

The Indian delegation to MONDIACULT 2025 was led by the Minister of Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and comprised Amita Prasad Sarbhai, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Culture; Priyanka Chandra, Director, Ministry of Culture; Vishal Gupta, Private Secretary to the Minister of Culture; and Deepak Sharma, Under Secretary, representing the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Minister of Culture participated in the Opening Ceremony and the Ministerial Plenary Session of MONDIACULT 2025 on September 29, the Ministry of Culture stated.

Amita Prasad Sarbhai, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Culture, along with Priyanka Chandra, Director, Ministry of Culture, and Deepak Sharma, Under Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, met with the delegation of the Netherlands headed by Carlien Schrijvershof, Deputy Permanent Delegate of the Netherlands to UNESCO; Chrustianne Matthijssen, Deputy Director General of Media; and Nathalie Kroner, Policy Coordinator for International Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Education and Science of the Netherlands.

They also met Sipiriano Nemani, Director, Ministry of Culture, Fiji. The discussions sought support for the multinational inscription of 'Chhath Mahaparv' under UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage framework.

The Closing Ceremony marked the successful conclusion of MONDIACULT 2025, with Member States reaffirming culture as a global public good and adopting the outcome document, which sets the roadmap for strengthening cultural policies and international cultural cooperation. (ANI)