New Delhi, Sep 4 (PTI) India has proposed that a digital online exhibition on a shared theme be hosted by the BRICS countries at the end of 2021.

Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Prahlad Patel made the suggestion while virtually attending the 5th BRICS Culture Ministers' Meeting on Thursday through video conference under the Chairpersonship of Russia.

Also Read | Ranchi Woman Found Living with Dead Husband for 3 Days at Her Home.

Delegates from the Culture Ministries of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa participated in the meeting.

According to a statement by the ministry, some suggestions/events which were proposed by the Indian side include the “possibility of hosting a Digital Online Exhibition on a Shared Theme towards end of 2021 under the auspices of BRICS Alliance of Museums. And to extend full cooperation and content sharing for website envisaged under the BRICS Alliance.”

Also Read | Maruti Suzuki India MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa Appointed SIAM President for 2-Year Term.

During the meeting, discussion was held on the impact of the epidemiological situation on the cultural sphere in the BRICS countries and review of the possible implementation of joint cultural online projects within BRICS.

Patel addressed participants of the meeting and presented India's perspective to strengthen the cultural cooperation within BRICS through alternative mechanisms of sharing and organizing cultural events in online format given the prevailing pandemic situation.

“COVID-19 has been a sad experience for us. But it has again showed us that nature does not discriminate among countries. It does not differentiate between people on the basis of caste and creed," Patel said while addressing the event.

"Humans have divided the countries and defined borders by putting fences. But culture is the bonding force above all man-made demarcations and connects people through love and harmony. Therefore when we meet through such programs, we come back more enriched than before,” he said.

In his address, he proposed opening the 'BRICS Corner' under the auspices of BRICS Alliance of Libraries which is proposed to be inaugurated during India's BRICS Presidency in 2021.

The Corner will disseminate information related to the history and culture of the BRICS countries. The corner will display books, periodicals and other e-resources gifted by the BRICS countries, viz, Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.

He also said the National Gallery of Modern Arts, New Delhi will host the already planned BRICS Joint Exhibition titled ‘Bonding Regions & Imagining Cultural Synergies' under the auspices of the BRICS Alliance of Art Museums and Galleries.

The exhibition is scheduled to be organized in 2021 coinciding with the BRICS event that India would be hosting in 2021. The exhibition aims to present around 100 works of art from the five prestigious institutions under the BRICS Alliance.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)