Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly welcomed the inscription of the festival of Deepavali, also known as Diwali, onto the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

He highlighted the deep-rooted connection of Deepavali to India’s culture and ethos, describing it as "the soul of our civilisation." 

According to the Prime Minister, the festival embodies illumination and righteousness, ideals closely tied to the nation's civilizational values.

He expressed confidence that this recognition would further enhance the global popularity of Deepavali, while invoking the spiritual guidance of Prabhu Shri Ram for all time.

The announcement also received praise from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who described the UNESCO listing as a significant acknowledgement of the immense cultural, religious, and spiritual importance of Deepavali.

He emphasised the festival’s role in uniting people, underscoring the essence of shared human values and community bonding that the celebration fosters beyond borders.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the addition of Deepavali to the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage through its spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on 10 December 2025. UNESCO’s official description paints Deepavali as a light festival observed annually by various individuals and communities throughout India.

Celebrated around the new moon in October or November, it marks the culmination of the last harvest and the onset of a new year and season. The joyous festival symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

UNESCO elaborates that the celebration includes cleaning and decorating homes and public spaces, lighting lamps and candles, setting off fireworks, and offering prayers to invite prosperity and new beginnings. The multi-day festivities express hopes for renewal and positivity in both the personal and communal spheres.

This recognition of Deepavali joins a growing list of Indian cultural elements inscribed by UNESCO. Previous inclusions from India include the Ramlila—an enactment of the Ramayana, inscribed in 2008—and more recently, the festival of Navroz in 2024.

Other celebrated traditions recognised on the list are the Garba dance from Gujarat (2023), the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata (2021), the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage (2017), the practice of Yoga (2016), and the traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making by the Thatheras community in Punjab (2014).

UNESCO defines intangible cultural heritage as comprising practices, knowledge, expressions, objects, and spaces that communities recognise as integral to their cultural identity. These traditions, passed down through generations, play a vital role in maintaining and evolving cultural identity, while fostering appreciation for cultural diversity worldwide.

The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO on 17 October 2003 during its 32nd General Conference in Paris, was a global response to concerns regarding the vulnerability of living cultural traditions.

The convention addresses threats posed by globalisation, societal change, and limited resources on oral traditions, performing arts, social customs, rituals, knowledge systems, and craftsmanship.

Through such measures, UNESCO aims to protect and promote cultural heritage that enriches communities and humanity as a whole.

Based On ANI Report