ROING, Apr 30: The Research Institute of World’s Ancient Traditions, Cultures, and Heritage (RIWATCH), in collaboration with the Piramal Foundation, convened a consultative meeting to deliberate on the development of a National Cultural Respect Framework aimed at fostering inclusivity, cultural understanding, and equitable service delivery.
The meeting brought together a cross-section of subject experts and institutional representatives to discuss the framework’s objectives, scope, and potential outcomes.
Participants included head of RCML at RIWATCH Mechek Sampar Awan; head of the Documentation Centre Kombong Darang; Nani Sumpa from the Arogya Centre; administrative officer Ashokan KV; visiting professor S Simon John; executive director of RIWATCH Vijay Swami; and program manager of Inclusive Bharat Collaborative, Piramal Foundation, Kaling Dabi, who presented an overview of the proposed framework, highlighting its role in addressing cultural discrimination and strengthening culturally responsive approaches, particularly in education and healthcare.
The meeting acknowledged that uniform policy approaches often fail to reflect India’s cultural diversity, leading to systemic exclusions.
Commenting on the initiative, folklorist S Simon John noted that existing state-level cultural policies could serve as useful references. Administrative expert Ashokan KV pointed out that while framing a national framework is complex, a sustained consultative process could help identify a set of guiding principles.
Educationist Vijay Swami underscored the need to promote cultural competence within the education system, suggesting the integration of supplementary cultural texts in school curricula. Linguist Mechek Sampar Awan stressed the importance of multilingual teaching and the need for supportive policies to implement it effectively.
The Piramal Foundation is expected to continue similar consultative meetings across different regions, leading to a national consultation to consolidate insights.
RIWATCH and the Piramal Foundation stated that they remain committed to collaboratively shaping a framework that promotes cultural respect, diversity, and inclusion nationwide.
