Our state West Bengal is rich in cultural heritage and diversity. We have invested in our traditional arts and crafts for safeguarding our rich heritage and augmenting livelihood opportunities for our rural communities.

We are happy about the decade long partnership of the Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises and Textiles (MSME&T) Department and UNESCO New Delhi Regional Office for developing rural clusters

supporting creative enterprises and cultural tourism, as part of the Rural Craft and Cultural Hub (RCCH) Project.

MSME&T is the second largest sector in West Bengal after agriculture and a key priority for the State Government. It employs millions of people, with 34% women leading the MSME&T sector of the state. The RCCH initiative has transformed the landscape of our creative economy and steered grass-root dynamics for empowering marginalized communities in a holistic way. The project covers 50,000 rural artists and crafts persons, majority of whom belong to minority and socially excluded groups.

The project has ascribed to Tagore’s vision of promotion of local skills and produce for rejuvenation of villages. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the project stakeholders for the success of the project which realizes the power of culture in shaping the rural economy. Our signature festival Durga Puja has been enlisted in UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021. This festival has evolved to become an avenue celebrating traditional art, craft and the principles of unity, diversity, and inclusivity. Bengal’s traditions of Baul Fakiri songs and Chau dance are also inscribed in the UNESCO’s representative list. ‘Creative Bengal’ highlights the cultural treasures of rural Bengal from the hills to the seas.

We look forward to closely working with our artist communities and UNESCO New Delhi Regional Office to collectively realize the motto of preserving, safeguarding, and promoting our living heritages.