Use cultural bonds to tackle challenges
If the events of the past few years have taught us anything, it is that we are no longer a siloed set of disparate nations. Global interdependence is so deep that moments of crisis are felt quickly by communities across countries.
At the height of the pandemic, a crucial India-united Kingdom (UK) partnership helped drive the global distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine. Scientists from Oxford University developed the Astrazeneca vaccine, while the Serum Institute in Pune manufactured and distributed it across the world. This practical relationship between India and the UK exemplified how a world in crisis was able to work together. Now, as we recover from the pandemic, it is imperative that we reflect together and build partnerships to support peace and prosperity in the long-term.
Today, an innovative partnership between the National Council for Science Museums in India and the Science Museum Group in the UK, supported by the British Council, is using arts and science to tell the story of the global effort to develop vaccines. Vaccines: Injecting Hope is on display at the National Science Centre in Delhi. Later, it will go on tour to Nagpur, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, inspiring thousands of young visitors, families and students.
The same approach can be applied to the most urgent crisis that our world faces — the climate crisis. At the Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata, 155 pictures by young photographers from West Bengal have been curated to support wildlife conservation and the fight against the climate crisis. Through artistic exploration, the exhibition — Young Minds for a Compassionate World — inspires young people to go out and advocate for these vital issues.
When I think about the music, theatre, paintings, and heritage sites that have inspired me, I think of my visits to India as a young man learning about the world. I also consider my work now, experiencing the creations of young artists and connecting with leaders in the Indian creative sector. Through all of this, I know international artists collaborating and cultural partnerships are key to bringing us together to address global challenges for our mutual benefit. Through the intersection of science, arts and education, the people of our two countries can find common cause, and build connections, understanding and trust. Cultural connections enable empathy across borders and between people. If Covid-19 and the multiple lockdowns now seem distant, consider what culture is doing to keep hope alive for thousands of people in Ukraine. It will play a pivotal role in the country’s recovery, allowing people to process trauma and articulate their terrible experiences.
Investing in cultural exchange can also accelerate employment, improve livelihoods, and increase trade. An Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development paper for the Italy G20 presi
dency culture working group suggested that creative goods account for 5% or more of total national exports in India, the UK, Italy, Turkey and France, which is over and above the income generated by the cultural sector through tourism.
From Southall in West London to communities in Birmingham and Leicester; the Durga Puja festival exhibition making its way to the banks of the River Thames in 2018; to the 1.5 million-strong Indian diaspora in the UK; and now the UK’S first British-asian prime minister, cultural relations between India and the UK form a living bridge between our countries. This was acknowledged by the leaders of our countries in the India-uk Roadmap 2030 agreement. As we set our sights on a Free Trade Agreement between our two nations, we must also acknowledge that the deep bond between them is formed by
that collective and enduring cultural exchange. There is a lot more to come in the India-uk arts and education relationship, and India’s 75th anniversary of Independence is a pivotal moment in that story.
India and the UK can be a force for global good together — be it in creating solutions to tackle a pandemic, collaborating to slow the climate crisis or partnering to increase prosperity and create more inclusive, connected societies. This confident bilateral cooperation is underpinned and made possible through the deep bonds of friendship and trust that cultural and educational exchange builds.