Ministry of Culture promotes Indian Folk Arts and Culture abroad through Global Engagement Scheme: Through various initiatives, India’s Ministry of Culture is dedicated to promoting Indian Folk Arts and Culture abroad. One such initiative is the Global Engagement Scheme, which organises Festivals of India in other countries to showcase the country’s rich culture, which includes folk art, exhibitions, dance, music, theatre, film, food festivals, and yoga events. This scheme also highlights the diverse culture of North-East India to the world. The ministry provides grant-in-aid to Indo-Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies to organize programs and activities that promote the country’s culture across the world.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
Various cultural schemes applicable to North East India
In addition to the Global Engagement Scheme, several other initiatives apply to North East India. Schemes such as Award to Young Talented Artists, Guru Shishya Parampara, Theatre Rejuvenation, Research & Documentation, Shilpgram, OCTAVE, and National Cultural Exchange Programme are some examples. OCTAVE is a special scheme that caters to North East zones, and the ministry also conducts the Yuva Sangam program.
Yuva Sangam program to promote youth exchange
The Yuva Sangam programme connects 11 higher education institutions from the North East with 14 from other states. This programme organises exposure visits for college/university students and off-campus youth aged 18-30. These visits provide a multi-dimensional exposure to the youth under five broad areas: Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Prodyogik (Technology), and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect).
In conclusion, the Ministry of Culture in India has taken several initiatives to promote Indian folk arts and culture abroad, including North East India. The Global Engagement Scheme, grant-in-aid to cultural societies, and various other schemes such as OCTAVE and Yuva Sangam have been instrumental in highlighting the country’s diverse culture and promoting cultural exchange. These initiatives aim to provide a platform for cultural exchange, enhance mutual understanding, and foster people-to-people connections between India and other countries.