Indian practice and international experience were discussed at a round table at the Hindu College of the University of Delhi

On March 24, 2026, the Hindu College of the University of Delhi (New Delhi) hosted a round table on "Cultural Diplomacy: Indian Practice and International Experience" held at as part of the World Public Summit: India "New World: India in the architecture of a shared future." The Public Summit is organized by the World Peoples Assembly jointly with the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

– India is a unique example of how culture becomes the foundation of statehood, not just its adornment. For the Indian civilization, diplomacy has always begun with a dialogue of values embodied in the ancient wisdom of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — "The world is one family," — said Svetlana Smirnova, Chairman of the General Council of the World Peoples Assembly, on the eve of the event.

Alyona Dolgopolova, moderator of the discussion, journalist, Official Secretary of the World Peoples Assembly, delivered a welcoming speech. She told about the history of the First World Public Summit, held on September 21, 2025 in Moscow, and called for the expansion of international cooperation.

The discussion was also attended by:

• Elena Remizova — Head of the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in India;

• Manish Kumar Choudhary — Secretary General of the NGO Respect India;

• Anju Srivastava — Professor, Director of Hindu College;

• Andrey Ogievsky — conductor;

• Peter Holkin — entrepreneur, expert in the field of protocol;

• Igor Skvortsov — President of the Cultural Diplomacy Community;

• Shalini Suryanarayan — Professor, Director of IQAC;

• Rina Jain — Professor, Deputy Director of Hindu College;

• Varunendra Rawat — PhD, Treasurer of Hindu College;

• Ananya Barua — Doctor of Philosophy at Hindu College;

• Devanshi Magu — Doctor of Chemistry at Hindu College;

• Kasthuri Dutta — Doctor of Political Science at Hindu College;

• Sudeep Raj — Doctor of Philosophy at Hindu College;

• Archana Verma — Professor at the History Department of Hindu College.

and many others.

Teachers and students of Hindu College took an active part in the discussion, which allowed combining the experience of different generations.

The participants of the round table discussed cultural diplomacy as a national strategy, referring to the unique Indian experience. It is in this country that yoga, Ayurveda, cinema and gastronomy have transformed from traditional practices into powerful tools working to strengthen international trust.

The topics discussed included:

• Institutional cooperation between Russia and India;

• The role of cultural leaders in strengthening dialogue;

• Development of film studios and art cities;

• Interaction of government agencies, business and NGOs;

• The balance between commercialization and tradition preservation;

• Mechanisms of replication of successful Indian experience.

and many others.

– The role of culture in shaping the international image of States and building interstate relations has been growing noticeably in recent years. Therefore, cultural diplomacy is becoming an increasingly important tool for promoting national interests and strengthening international cooperation, — concluded Alena Dolgopolova.

During the round table, the participants exchanged the experiences of their countries, identified the best practices in cultural diplomacy and formed common approaches to the development of cultural dialogue.

The World Peoples Assembly is an international union of non-governmental organizations that forms a humanitarian platform for cooperation between the peoples of the world based on trust, mutual respect and common values.

Media accreditation for the Summit, cooperation issues: media@world-assembly.org, +7 (985) 768-2053 (Oksana Leontieva).

More information is on the official website of the World Public Summit.