Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat expressed hope that Islamabad will participate in the event scheduled for November 20 to 22.
India has invited Pakistan to the inaugural Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Civilisational Dialogue Forum, which will be held at Purana Qila in New Delhi from November 20 to 22, according to reports by The Times of India and ThePrint.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said he is hopeful Pakistan will attend, though the decision rests with Islamabad. Pakistan's Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, has been invited.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration on November 20. The forum was proposed by the Prime Minister during the SCO summit in Tianjin and was accepted by member states.
China, Iran, and Kazakhstan are among the 15 countries that have confirmed their participation. India sent invitations to 25 countries, including SCO member states.
The forum aims to strengthen cultural understanding and people-to-people ties. Discussions will include multinational nominations for Unesco sites and sessions on art, architecture, language, and religious traditions.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced the hosting of the forum at the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, last month.
