A Guided City Bus Tour depicting ‘The Bengaluru Story’ and a  Cultural Programme showcasing the cultural heritage of Karnataka were  organized for G20 delegates   of the  2nd Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG) Meeting in Bengaluru last evening.

The tour gave a glimpse of India’s fastest growing city, its beautiful gardens and the prowess that Bengaluru has gained as the country's Silicon Valley. 

In Bangalore Palace the delegates  witnessed turreted parapets, battlements, fortified towers and arches that adorn this regal architectural masterpiece. Its design has drawn  inspiration from England’s Windsor Castle. The presence of an open courtyard is a proof of longstanding cultural, historical and musical legacy of Karnataka.  The delegates also  visited the  Museum of Art and Photography, Cubbon Park and Vidhana Soudha. The bus tour concluded with a visit to the Mahatma Gandhi Statue where a group photo session was held. ‘The Bengaluru Story’wss  designed by the  Karnataka Tourism Department.

The first day of  the 2nd TIWG Meeting concluded  with a cultural programme followed by a gala dinner.  The cultural programme showcased Karnataka’s well-known legacy of cultural traditions and dance forms, and included performances by Kalaanidhi  Nruthya Mandiram, Space Kathak and Shree Natya Niketan. 

The 2nd TIWG Meeting  began  in Bengaluru yesterday with over 100 delegates participating in it. Besides representatives from G20 countries, delegates from   invitee countries, and regional and international organizations are also  engaged in collaborative discussions for accelerating global trade and investment. 

Cultural diplomacy showcases Bengaluru's heritage and arts to support trade and investment delegate engagement and international outreach. A guided city tour and an evening cultural programme were organised for delegates of the 2nd Trade and Investment Working Group meeting to showcase Karnataka's urban growth, heritage landmarks and performing arts as instruments of cultural diplomacy and place-branding, facilitated by the Karnataka Tourism Department to support delegation engagement during multilateral trade and investment discussions.