BHOPAL, Aug 8, 2026: BRICS countries have adopted the Bhopal Declaration on Cultural Cooperation, setting out a broader agenda for collaboration in cultural and creative industries, heritage preservation, museums, digitalisation and exchanges among cultural professionals.
The declaration was adopted at the 11th BRICS Culture Ministers' Meeting in Bhopal on Saturday. Indian Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said it was aimed at strengthening the institutional framework for cultural cooperation among BRICS countries.
Shekhawat said the declaration provides a shared roadmap covering both contemporary and traditional areas of culture and heritage.
The document calls for exchanges of experience and best practices in the cultural and creative industries and support for cultural practitioners. It also addresses the use of digital tools to widen market access for cultural and creative products, according to reporting on the declaration.
Heritage and cultural property
Heritage protection is another major element of the declaration.
It provides for cooperation on the preservation of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as research into the provenance and return of cultural property.
The declaration also calls for closer cooperation among museums, libraries and archives, particularly in the digitisation and preservation of documentary heritage.
Culture in the age of AI
The ministers also addressed an issue increasingly affecting the creative sector: the use of cultural works in artificial intelligence systems.
The declaration includes cooperation on copyright protection, transparency and fair remuneration for rights holders when their works are used in AI systems, according to the report on the document.
The focus reflects a broader challenge for cultural industries as digital technologies change the way creative works are produced, distributed and used.
New opportunities for artists
India also announced a pilot project to establish a voluntary register of artists and other creative professionals.
The initiative is expected to promote cultural exchanges and expand professional opportunities for artists, according to the report.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the 10 BRICS member countries and four partner countries, with 55 delegates taking part, according to TV BRICS.
The declaration gives cultural cooperation a wider institutional footing, bringing traditional heritage and cultural exchanges into the same framework as creative industries, digitalisation and the emerging questions surrounding artificial intelligence.
