Bhubaneswar, May 14 (PTI) During the second G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) meeting here, discussions will revolve around cultural exchange programmes, joint heritage conservation projects and cross-cultural dialogues that can strengthen connections and build more resilient and interconnected communities, Union minister G Kishan Reddy said on Sunday.

Delegates from G20 members, guest nations and several international organisations arrived in the Odisha capital on Sunday for the meeting, which is being held from May 14-17.

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As part of it, a special thematic sand art was created on the Puri beach by Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik, the Culture Ministry said.

At a media interaction here, Reddy, who holds the portfolios of Culture, Tourism and DoNER, highlighted the theme of India's G20 presidency -- 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment.

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Reddy said the theme emphasises upon the concept of world as one family and aims for environmental sustainability and responsible choices, both at the level of individual lifestyles and national development.

The CWG under India's G20 presidency will highlight 'Culture Unites All' in a campaign mode to bring out India's unwavering belief in multilateralism based on peaceful coexistence among diverse cultures and communities, the Culture Ministry said in a statement.

The four key priority areas of the meeting are the protection and restitution of cultural property, harnessing living heritage for a sustainable future, promotion of cultural and creative industries and creative economy and leveraging digital technologies for the protection and promotion of culture.

"There will be discussions around collaborative initiatives, such as cultural exchange programmes, joint heritage conservation projects, and cross-cultural dialogues that can strengthen our connections and build more resilient and interconnected communities," Reddy was quoted as saying in the statement on Sunday.

Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal said after Narendra Modi took charge as the Prime Minister, "the restitution of cultural property has been fast-forwarded".

Lily Pandeya, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Co-Chair, G20 CWG, talked about the collaborative power that the G20 members, the guest nations and the international organisations hold to harness the power of culture to unite nations and foster a sense of global solidarity.

As part of the second G20 Culture Working Group meeting, an exhibition titled 'Sustain: The Craft Idiom' will be organised at Kala Bhoomi - Odisha Crafts Museum in Bhubaneswar. The exhibition's theme focuses on the second priority outlined by the Culture Working Group - 'Harnessing Living Heritage for a Sustainable Future'.

The exhibition is set to be inaugurated on May 15 by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union ministers Reddy, Meghwal and Nityanand Rai. It will be opened to the public from May 16-22.

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