With reference to the Diwali celebrations in Cyprus, consider the following statements: 1. The event marks the first-ever Diwali celebration at the Cyprus Presidential Palace. 2. A total of Rs 21 lakh was pledged to the Alkionides Charity and Radiomarathon Foundation. 3. UNESCO added Diwali to its list of intangible cultural heritage in December 2024. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

President Nikos Christodoulides to host first Diwali celebrations at Cyprus Presidential Palace

GS2Polity · Governance · IR· India's bilateral relations· Prelims· 9 November 2026

Cultural diplomacy and soft power: a GS2 case study on strengthening India-Mediterranean ties.

Why in news

President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus is hosting the first-ever Diwali celebrations at the Cyprus Presidential Palace to mark strengthened bilateral ties with India.

Background

It includes donations of approximately Rs 21 lakh to the Alkionides Charity and the Radiomarathon Foundation.

Facts for Prelims

FactUNESCO added Diwali to its list of the world's intangible cultural heritage in December 2025
BodyHelp2Live Charitable Foundation is a charity active in Cyprus for 15 years
FactDonations of Rs 10.5 lakh each were pledged to Alkionides Charity and Radiomarathon Foundation

Prelims practice question

With reference to the Diwali celebrations in Cyprus, consider the following statements:

The event marks the first-ever Diwali celebration at the Cyprus Presidential Palace.
A total of Rs 21 lakh was pledged to the Alkionides Charity and Radiomarathon Foundation.
UNESCO added Diwali to its list of intangible cultural heritage in December 2024.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)2 only
(b)3 only
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)1 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (c) 1 and 2 only — Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect: The note states it was added in December 2025.

For Mains

Q. Discuss how cultural diplomacy and soft power initiatives can be leveraged to strengthen bilateral relations between India and Mediterranean nations.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Cultural Diplomacy: Leveraging intangible heritage (Diwali) to foster people-to-people ties
Soft Power: Using charitable foundations and cultural programs to build goodwill beyond official statecraft
Strategic Alignment: Strengthening ties following high-level state visits in 2025 and 2026

Keywords: Cultural Diplomacy · Soft Power · Intangible Cultural Heritage · Bilateral Relations · People-to-People Ties

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