India and Germany have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate between select museums of both countries, including the National Museum Delhi and the National Gallery of Modern Art Delhi.
According to United News of India (UNI), Union Minister of State for Culture & Tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel, held a bilateral meeting with German delegation led by Monika Grutters, Minister of State to the Federal Chancellor, Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media.
They signed an MoU regarding cooperation between the National Museum, New Delhi, the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, the Indian Museum, Kolkata, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Berlin, and the Stiftung Berliner Schloss – Humboldt Forum, Berlin.
India and Germany have tradition of cultural exchange
Patel said that India and Germany have a long tradition of academic and cultural exchange. He also said culture plays an important role in the development of a nation.
The aim of the MoU is to research archaeological, ethnological and art historical objects, as well as their historical and contemporary sources, says UNI. This includes non-physical cultural heritage, restoration and conservation studies and education work.
The participating institutions will provide collections and expertise. As well as the MoU, German and Indian classics may be translated into each language.
So, Sanskrit classics such as ‘Sannyasa Upanishads’ and ‘Yatidharma Prakasha’ would be translated into German.
Research on archaeological and ethnological objects
One of three German classics would be translated into Hindi or Sanskrit. These are ‘Die Blechtrommel’ by Günter Grass, ‘Buddenbrooks’ by Thomas Mann and ‘The Trial’ by Franz Kafka.
Elsewhere, the UK government has announced an investment of £19 million in ‘museums of the future’, with a goal to make Britain’s cultural treasures accessible from homes, schools and libraries.
Museum exhibits could soon be viewed remotely with technology and digital tools, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
Image: Creative Commons
