G20 Summit India: Leh inaugurates special G20 Ice stupa

As India takes over the presidency of the G20, Union Territory Ladakh is set to host a G20 event in April this year. As part of this meeting in Leh, the district administration inaugurates the G20 Ice Stupa at the main market of Leh. The two-day G20 meeting will take place at UT from April 26-28.

World leaders will be received by artists and members of Ladakh civil society. The government has decided to make local Ladakhi culture and traditions an integral part of the event for the branding of the new UT Ladakh.

The theme of India's G20 Presidency is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or One Earth, One Family, One Future.

Ladakhi culture and traditions events

The administration has decided that all G20 delegates will be greeted with folk songs and traditional dances upon their arrival at the KushokBakula Rinpoche airport in Leh, which is India's highest civilian airport.

The Ladakh administration is improving the road infrastructure and beautifying the trails, adding art to the walls and installing banners, flags and posters.

In addition, haats villages have been created to market local products and educational initiatives have been organized for citizen participation in the G20 event.

The UT administration, according to its plans, would hold "G-20 Summit"-themed drawing contests in schools and the best drawings would be painted on municipal walls designated street art to give a makeover to Leh town.

It has been decided that the authorities, for the beautification of the city of Leh, would incorporate street art, showcasing the achievements of UT Ladakh, including Carbon-Neutral Ladakh, Jal Jeevan Mission; achievements of the self-help groups, in addition to highlighting the culture and biodiversity of the region.

What is Ice stupa?

An ice stupa is a type of artificial glacier that is created in the shape of a cone, or stupa, using a technique developed by engineers in Ladakh to help solve the region's water scarcity problems.

The technique involves creating an artificial glacier by spraying water from a pipe during the winter months, when the temperature is below freezing. The water freezes and accumulates in layers, gradually forming a conical shape.

In spring, when the temperature begins to rise, the ice begins to melt, releasing a constant flow of water. This water can be used for irrigation during the dry summer months when water is scarce.

This technique has proven to be an effective solution to the problem of water scarcity in arid regions, as it is relatively cheap to build and maintain, and does not require large dams or reservoirs.

They are also friendly to the environment since they do not require the construction of large-scale infrastructure projects that can disturb natural ecosystems.

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