Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh joined the celebrations at the historic Sri Ram Temple in Kenya to mark Diwali's inclusion in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
"Blessed to participate in the celebrations at the historic Sri Ram Temple marking UNESCO's recognition of Diwali as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. Prabhu Shri Ram's Temple, built in 1919 in Kenya, stands as a testament to the cultural pride of India and shared historical ties between both our countries," Singh posted on X on Thursday (Indian time).
Calling it a proud moment for Indian cultural heritage, the MoS further said, "Under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this milestone truly reflects the global appreciation of India's timeless traditions and the universal message of peace and harmony."
Singh is in Kenya to attend the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), scheduled from December 8-12. Meanwhile, the MoS held a meeting with Norway's Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, Minister of Climate and Environment, on the sidelines of the seventh session of the UNEA, expressing hope to strengthen India-Norway partnership for a cleaner, greener, and resilient future.
Both sides explored ways to enhance cooperation in areas including climate action, marine littering, and sustainable ocean management. On Wednesday, Singh met John Ololtuaa, Kenya's Principal Secretary, State Department of Tourism, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.
Both sides reviewed the growing cooperation in wildlife conservation, including the MoU on wildlife management signed earlier this year. The talks also focused on new avenues to deepen collaboration between India and Kenya in sustainable wildlife protection.
"Look forward to early signing of the framework agreement of the International Big Cat Alliance by Kenya, as one of its founding members. Appreciated our growing tourism linkages and discussed ways to further augment tourism flows," Singh posted on X following the meeting.
Furthermore, the MoS met Dmitri Tetenkin, Russian Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, where the two sides discussed collaboration in climate action, sustainable resource management, forest fire management, conservation of falcons and strengthening bilateral environmental cooperation.
"Russia and India share a special and privileged strategic partnership. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India remains committed to strengthening these ties to jointly progress towards a sustainable planet," Singh stated.