Exhibition of UNESCO World Heritage Sites 2023: The Greatness and Cultural Heritage of Banknotes

Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts (IGNCA) is all set to host an extraordinary exhibition titled “Banking on World Heritage”. Ready to host the exhibition. Banknotes featuring UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites will be displayed in this unique exhibition organized by Ms. Rukmini Dahanukar, Founder of Money Talks and an independent scholar.

The exhibition aims to provide a fresh perspective on these cultural treasures and will be held at IGNCA from June 30 to July 9, 2023. The event is significant as it coincides with India’s chairmanship of the G-20 summit, the 75th year of India’s independence. , and the 50th year of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.

The exhibition will be inaugurated by the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi. High commissioners and ambassadors of G-20 countries will be present at the opening ceremony. The theme of the exhibition “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future” perfectly encapsulates the outstanding universal values of the World Heritage.

The exhibition provides a remarkable opportunity to visitors to see the depiction of UNESCO World Heritage Sites through banknotes. The G-20 member states have contributed their own coins, making this collection a valuable representation of diverse civilizations. Each banknote serves as a miniature canvas, highlighting the grand monuments and historical wonders that have shaped our shared human history.

Through the banknotes, the exhibition aims to educate the millennials and younger generations about their culture and heritage. Ms. Dahanukar’s passion for banknote collecting culminates in this remarkable exhibition, which brings together the rich diversity of Indian languages and reflects the unity in India’s cultural tapestry. The exhibition will show how these banknotes create a projection of India and reflect the connection between humanity and culture.

To complement the banknote exhibition, Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts will organize a panel discussion featuring eminent speakers including Mr. Sudhakar Kajar, Professor Poonam Mahajan, Mr. Ashish Chandra, Mr. Anand Kothari and Ms. Rukamini Dahanukar. This discussion will highlight the invaluable historical insight that coins provide. Coins serve as tangible artifacts that allow us to reconstruct ancient Indian history, providing glimpses into the reigns of kings, economic systems, the extent of empires, trade routes, and the art and religion of their respective eras.