inaugural ceremony of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee got underway at the Bharat Mandapam here on Sunday evening in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Director General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay.
India is hosting the key event of the UNESCO for the first time from July 21 to July 31.
Modi will shortly inaugurate the session.
Prior to the inauguration, the prime minister visited an exhibition at the Bharat Mandapam that showcases some of the artefacts brought back to the country. Till date, more than 350 artefacts have been brought back to the country, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Saturday.
The director general of UNESCO, dressed in a saree, was also present along with Modi during his visit to the exhibition.