BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration, calling for the protection of cultural heritage and the return of antiquities. The move broadens the bloc’s cooperation on culture and sustainable tourism despite wider geopolitical differences.
BRICS leaders on Saturday called for the protection of cultural heritage, including in conflict-hit regions, and stressed the need to return antiquities and objects of spiritual, ancestral, historical and cultural value to their countries of origin.
In the New Delhi Declaration adopted on the first day of the two-day BRICS Summit hosted by India, the grouping also underlined the role of culture in strengthening people-to-people ties and backed deeper cooperation in tourism, creative industries and cultural exchanges among member countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the adoption of the declaration at the end of the opening day’s deliberations in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other leaders of the bloc.
The grouping adopted the consensus joint declaration after overcoming differences between the United Arab Emirates and Iran over the West Asia conflict, but it made no direct mention of the US strikes on Iran or the Iranian military’s attacks on several Gulf Arab nations.
BRICS, which originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Indonesia joined in 2025. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam became BRICS partner countries last year.
“We call for the protection of cultural heritage, including in regions affected by conflict, to prevent the destruction and illicit trafficking of cultural property, which is vital for preserving the history and identity of affected communities, as well as on the need to ensure the restitution and repatriation of cultural heritage, antiquities and objects of spiritual, ancestral, historical and cultural value to their country of origin,” the declaration said.
The leaders also encouraged cooperation among BRICS countries through the exchange of information, documentation and institutional cooperation among museums, archives, libraries and other relevant cultural institutions.
“We encourage the exchange of information and sharing of best practices in the cultural and creative industries, including in the areas of training and capacity-building for artists and cultural practitioners,” it said.
