Arirang Masters Award, Cultural Diplomacy, and the Future of Living Heritage
Dec 16, 2025
Arirang Masters Award, Cultural Diplomacy, and the Future of Living Heritage
The Spirit of Arirang Resonates in New Delhi
Encountering the Cultural Heritage of Our Time Through an Artist’s Journey
[Arirang Culture Connect: New Delhi, 12 December 2025]
President Park SeongYong (second from the right) and Chairman V. Jayarajan Vakil (third from the left) jointly presented the Arirang Master Award certificate to Prof. Deepti Omchery Bhalla (center). Also present were IAB Members Prof. Huh Kwon (Korea, far left), Joanne Orr (U.K., second from the left), and Mr. Eivind Falk (Norway, far right).
On 12 December 2025, the India International Centre (IIC) Annexe in New Delhi became a powerful crossroads of global culture as the Arirang Master Award ceremony unfolded. More than a celebratory event, the occasion stood as a testament to how intangible cultural heritage (ICH) can function as a living force for dialogue, dignity, and peace in an increasingly fragmented world.
At the heart of the ceremony was Prof. Deepti Omchery Bhalla, one of India’s most distinguished exponents of classical dance, who was conferred the Arirang Master Award in recognition of her lifelong contribution as a performer, scholar, educator, and cultural ambassador.
A Ceremony of Cultural Resonance and Global Solidarity
Held at 10:00 AM at the IIC Annexe, a venue synonymous with intellectual and cultural excellence, the ceremony was jointly hosted by Culture Masters and the Inter-City Intangible Cultural Cooperation Network (ICCN). The event was meticulously organized by the Advocacy Alliance for Culture Masters (AACM) in collaboration with the Folkland International Centre for Folklore & Culture.
The gathering brought together cultural policymakers, international delegates, scholars, and artists from across regions, underscoring the growing international stature of the Arirang Masters initiative as a platform for ethical cultural recognition and cooperation.
The programme opened with an invocation, followed by a Welcome Address from Ms. Sigma G. Nath, Project Coordinator of Culture Masters, who highlighted the shared global responsibility to safeguard intangible cultural heritage.
The Presidential Address was delivered by Dr. V. Jayarajan, Secretary-General of ICCN and Chairperson of the International Advisory Board (IAB). He emphasized that the future of heritage lies not in institutions alone, but in empowering the artists and communities who embody and transmit living traditions.
The Keynote Address was presented by Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, who reflected on the ethical responsibility of artists and cultural institutions to preserve artistic integrity while engaging meaningfully with global audiences.
Articulating the Vision of Arirang Masters
In his Distinguished Guest Address, Dr. SeongYong Park, President of Culture Masters and Chairperson of the AACM, articulated the foundational philosophy and long-term vision of the Arirang Masters program.
Dr. Park emphasized that Culture Masters is guided by a core mission: to elevate the social and cultural status of intangible heritage artists and their communities; to expand opportunities for public engagement and visibility; and to empower culture bearers as active participants in global cultural life. He noted that strengthening the dignity and agency of practitioners contributes not only to the sustainability of artistic traditions, but also to the cultural development of humanity and the promotion of a culture of peace.
He reaffirmed that the Arirang Master Award is firmly grounded in the principles of UNESCO’s 1980 Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist and the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Within this framework, the award recognizes practitioners who demonstrate exceptional mastery of skill, creative innovation rooted in tradition, and a sustained commitment to education and mentorship.
Looking ahead, Dr. Park outlined plans for the 2026 Suwon Forum as an international platform for policy dialogue and practical exchange, as well as preparations for the pilot edition of the World Intangible Cultural Heritage Grand Festival in Korea in 2026. These initiatives aim to move beyond symbolic recognition toward structural support, international mobility, and sustainable global cultural cooperation.
Prof. Deepti Omchery Bhalla: A Living Bridge of Tradition and Innovation
The formal investiture of the Arirang Master Award was jointly conducted by Dr. SeongYong Park and Dr. V. Jayarajan, symbolizing a collective international commitment to honoring excellence in living heritage.
A top-graded artist of All India Radio and an ICCR-empanelled performer of international repute, Prof. Bhalla is also the former Dean of the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts at the University of Delhi. Over a career spanning more than a thousand performances worldwide, she has expanded the expressive horizons of Indian classical dance through seminal works such as AMSHI and the innovative Mohiniyattam–Kathak Jugalbandi.
Felicitations by International Advisory Board members Prof. Huh Kwon, Mr. Eivind Falk, and Ms. Joanne Orr celebrated her role as an embodiment of intercultural exchange. A specially curated dance presentation by her disciples added a deeply moving dimension to the ceremony.
In her Acceptance Address, Prof. Bhalla described the award as a shared honor belonging to her teachers, students, and the wider artistic community, reaffirming her commitment to education and intergenerational transmission.
The Arirang Masters Program: From Recognition to Cultural Diplomacy
Launched in 2023, the Arirang Masters program was conceived as a strategic platform for international cultural diplomacy. Its intellectual roots trace back to the Arirang Prize proposed by the Republic of Korea at the UNESCO General Conference in 2001, and the inscription of Arirang on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.
As of December 2025, more than 30 practitioners from 21 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania have been designated as Arirang Masters. Beyond formal recognition, they benefit from a multilayered support system including international media exposure, global performances, workshops, and access to collaborative cultural and policy forums.
Recognition, Responsibility, and the Path Forward
The Arirang Masters program addresses questions of hierarchy and representation through transparency, participatory evaluation, and community-centered ethics. Its purpose is not to elevate individuals above their communities, but to strengthen cultural ecosystems by redistributing visibility, resources, and respect.
By linking recognition with education, mobility, and cooperation, the program demonstrates that intangible heritage is not a remnant of the past, but a strategic resource for addressing contemporary global challenges.
Conclusion: Heritage Lives Through People
The New Delhi ceremony affirmed a simple yet profound truth: heritage lives through people. It is carried in bodies, memories, and practices, renewed through teaching and exchange, and sustained through dignity and opportunity.
As exemplified by the Arirang Master Award, Culture Masters’ international initiatives form a bridge between tradition and the future—extending from New Delhi to Suwon, and onward to the world—showing that culture is not merely preserved, but actively shared as a path toward solidarity and peace.