NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Wednesday called for developing globally recognised cultural events and strengthening the city’s night economy. He said that these initiatives could help showcase the national capital’s rich cultural heritage while supporting artists, performers and local businesses.
Chairing a meeting with officials of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the tourism department, Sandhu said Delhi should develop its own iconic cultural events through public-private partnerships, along the lines of major international cities. He said such recurring events could attract domestic and international visitors while contributing to the city’s creative economy.
He called for a dedicated push to strengthen the city’s night economy, saying a vibrant after-dark cultural and commercial ecosystem was a hallmark of a world-class capital and could provide greater opportunities for local artists, performers and small businesses.
The L-G said that the city’s heritage and culture should be promoted through inclusive platforms involving citizens, artists and youth. Stressing that culture was not just about preservation, he said art, design, crafts and performance traditions had the potential to generate employment opportunities while strengthening civic identity and pride. “Culture should serve as a tool for nation-building, civic responsibility and livelihood generation, rather than being confined to preservation,” he said.
Describing Delhi as a melting pot of cultures from across the country, Sandhu said the new initiatives should reflect the capital’s distinct character while drawing from successful models elsewhere.
He also called for promoting heritage walks and similar public engagement programmes to help residents and tourists better connect with the city’s cultural legacy.
Sandhu directed the DDA to explore the use of its existing public spaces for cultural and creative activities, including art installations, performances and other heritage-linked programmes regularly.
He asked the departments concerned to identify ways to translate ideas discussed at the meeting into concrete initiatives in coming months. He said that global practices should be adopted without compromising the city’s distinct cultural identity.
Heritage walks in the city
The L-G called for promoting heritage walks and similar engagement programmes to help residents and tourists better connect with the city’s cultural legacy.