A major UNESCO meeting on intangible cultural heritage ended on December 13, 2025, at Delhi's Red Fort. The panel added 67 new living heritage elements from around the world, including India's Deepavali festival. The session, held for the first time in India at the historic Red Fort, saw nominees from nearly 80 countries. Among the new heritage items added were Iran's mirror-work art, UAE's traditional performance arts, and Switzerland's yodelling. The meeting also upgraded two elements from urgent safeguarding to the representative list due to successful protection efforts. UNESCO now lists 849 cultural practices from 157 countries on its living heritage registers. Khaled El-Enany, UNESCO Director-General, said, "Fragile yet essential, living heritage remains a pillar of cultural diversity." India’s Ambassador to UNESCO Vishal V Sharma highlighted the session's role in protecting cultural identity. This largest-ever meeting had over 1,400 participants and included seven countries, like Barbados and Chad, adding their first heritage items. The next Intergovernmental Committee session will be in December 2026 in Xiamen, China. Visitors praised the Red Fort's stunning architecture and India's warm culture. The meeting celebrated global unity through heritage at a time of rising challenges like globalisation and climate pressures.