India, Dec. 10 -- India's Diwali, the festival of lights, has been officially inscribed on UNESCO's List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a recognition that Prime Minister Narendra Modi said filled the country with pride.

The announcement was made during the 20th UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee session, held at New Delhi's Red Fort from December 8-13. Diwali now becomes the 16th Indian element on the prestigious list.

The decision was adopted in the presence of delegates from 194 UNESCO Member States, along with international experts and representatives from UNESCO's global network.

The Recognition Process

To include an element on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), countries must sub...