"Proud that Delhi will be a part of the forum's annual summit," Arvind Kejriwal said. (File)
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be representing Delhi and India at the World Cities Cultural Forum (WCCF), according to a statement issued by the city government on Friday.
He has been invited by Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, to participate in the forum that comprises 40 world cities, including London, Tokyo and New York, that recognise the impact and importance of culture and creativity, and seek to inculcate these values in public policy and city planning.
The annual summit, attended by deputy mayors for culture and heads of culture from the member cities, is at the heart of the forum's activity.
"Proud that Delhi will be a part of the forum's annual summit. Our goal is to transform Delhi into a world leader in the field of culture and an artist-friendly city. Culture will be the key to finding long term sustainable solutions for the city," Mr Kejriwal said.
Delhi will also be a part of the World Cities Culture Report, the most comprehensive global data set on culture in cities, the statement added.
Talking about this year's theme - "The Future of Culture" for the annual summit, Mr Kejriwal said it was a "topic of relevance", and would help reimagine the culture of Delhi, "especially in the wake of several devastating challenges and the COVID-19 crisis faced by people in the last one year".
"As people around the world struggled in isolation - it has been art and music that helped us stay connected and cope up with the crisis at hand. Creativity and sharing provided hope and strength to respond to COVID-19 with resilience."
"The unfortunate circumstances of the pandemic have posed new challenges and possibilities to reimagine the modes of cultural practice. As we move towards recovery, the arts and culture will play a vital role in rebuilding lives and society," the chief minister said.
Mr Kejriwal added that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led-Delhi government strongly believed in the role of culture in shaping a city.
Noting the initiatives that Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is also the minister for art, culture and languages, has taken up, the statement said that the government had been working to transform the cultural landscape of the city, introducing programmes to democratise knowledge, modernise the cultural sector, and decentralised government spending.