Shanghai Cooperation Organisation delegation to visit UP's Varanasi on January 16

With India's growing presence in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a delegation comprising representatives of eight member nations including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, China, Pakistan and also India, will be visiting Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi in 2023. The Chief Ministers’ Office further revealed that the SCO delegation will be visiting India on January 16, 2023.

On their arrival, these foreign guests will be introduced to the culture and history of Kashi during their visit. Notably, the delegation's visit to Varanasi will come after the city was nominated as the first cultural and tourism at the 22nd meeting of the SCO council held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Following the nomination, the state government sent invitations to every SCO member to visit Kashi.

Uttar Pradesh govt to beautify Kashi 

Ahead of the delegation's visit, the state administration has stepped up efforts to beautify Kashi and enhance facilities to welcome the delegates next year. Following this, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also issued directives to the top officials to prepare for the grand welcome of the foreign guests.

The state government is working towards ensuring cleanliness and finding a solution to the traffic congestion at all key intersections of the city. The CMO also informed that the visitors will be greeted by school children on their arrival. 

The SCO is primarily an economic and security alliance of eight member states to pursue economic integration. The members’ visit to Varanasi is therefore being viewed as crucial for business relations with these nations in addition to maintaining cultural identity, the Chief Ministers’ Office stated. 

Kashi: Nominated as First-ever SCO Tourism & Cultural Capital during 2022-23

The city of Varanasi was nominated as the first-ever SCO tourism and cultural capital during 2022-2023 at the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. 

"The nomination of Varanasi as the first ever SCO tourism and cultural capital will promote tourism, cultural and humanitarian exchanges between India and the SCO member countries. It also underlines India’s ancient civilisational links with the member states of SCO, especially the central asian republics," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Image: PTI