Editorial | India’s G20 Presidency and Handicrafts
The G20 meetings will witness a surge in the handicrafts sector due to their cultural and financial values. The events will help in proving a major role in the development of the Indian economy as it is one of the largest employment generators and accounts for a significant share in the country’s exports, thus bringing in foreign exchange.
India’s G20 Presidency comes at a time when the world is dealing with multiple crises and it is against this backdrop that India during its presidency has to focus on addressing critical issues including COVID-19 global debt, ensuing food and energy crisis, geopolitical threats, climate crisis, slow Sustainable Development Goals.
As G20 final summit meet is taking place in September of this year and this is an opportunity for India to become both Soft and hard power. It is not just about by industrial growth, but it is also about tourism and travel, popularising local handmade things, and also cultural diversity. More than 200 meetings will be held across 55 locations, culminating with the annual G20 summit on September 9-10.
The Ministry of tourism is geared up to put kl best foot forward and showcase to the guests from different countries the cultural heritage and culinary delights of India. G20 delegates will be shown live demonstration of making of local art and crafts by artisans. Self-reliant villages, community empowerment, encouraging youth entrepreneurship, success stories and models, opportunities and issues in rural tourism were a few key points deliberated during a panel hosted at day 1 of G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting in Gujarat. The Union Tourism Minister GK Reddy also emphasised that travel and tourism must be looked upon as a lever to enable, empower and employ.
