Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani, accompanied by their daughter Isha Ambani, hosted former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at their residence in Mumbai.
The private gathering brought together distinguished guests for an evening centred on friendship, dialogue, and a shared appreciation for art and culture.
The Ambani family, known for their involvement in philanthropy, business, and cultural initiatives, engaged in meaningful conversations with Clinton, reflecting on global perspectives and cross-cultural connections.
The evening highlighted the enduring ties between India and the United States, underscored by personal interactions and cultural exchange.
Panaji, February 3, 2026: Tourism Minister Rohan A. Khaunte welcomed student delegates representing Sweden, Portugal, Jordan, the Philippines, India, Uganda and Nepal, who are participating in the 12th International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) 2026. The interaction reflected Goa’s growing engagement with global culinary and cultural platforms.
During the meeting, the delegates presented their national flags to the Minister as a symbolic gesture of friendship, cultural exchange and international goodwill, reinforcing the spirit of culinary diplomacy that underpins the Young Chef Olympiad.
The interaction took place on the sidelines of YCO 2026, which opened in Bengaluru with a grand inaugural ceremony marked by global participation and culinary showcases. With young chefs and mentors from over 40 countries participating, the Olympiad has emerged as one of the world’s largest platforms for nurturing emerging culinary talent and fostering people-to-people connections through food and hospitality.
Speaking during the interaction, Tourism Minister Rohan A. Khaunte noted that such global engagements align with Goa’s vision of tourism as a medium for meaningful cultural exchange. He said that culinary traditions, like travel, have the ability to transcend borders and promote understanding, collaboration and mutual respect among communities.
The delegates expressed appreciation for the warm welcome and the opportunity to engage with Goa’s tourism leadership, noting that the exchange symbolised unity through diversity and shared cultural values.
Conceived in India and now recognised globally, the International Young Chef Olympiad continues to serve as a platform where cuisine, culture and camaraderie converge. As the competition progresses across multiple cities, interactions such as these reinforce the role of hospitality and food as powerful tools for global connection.
Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral International Desk
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said that Seoul and Beijing will hold working-level consultations on China’s long-standing unofficial restrictions on Korean cultural content, including K-pop and K-dramas. The restrictions, which have been in place for more than a decade, have made South Korean music and television dramas either unavailable or difficult to access on Chinese media platforms.
Speaking to reporters in Shanghai following meetings with senior Chinese officials, President Lee said restoring trust between the two countries would be the most important task in bilateral relations. He added that both sides had agreed to discuss the gradual expansion of cultural exchanges, though no concrete commitments were announced regarding the immediate availability of Korean content in China.
A South Korean presidential spokesperson confirmed that Lee and Chinese President Xi Jinping had shared a consensus on expanding cultural cooperation in a phased manner. Echoing this view, a spokesperson from China’s foreign ministry said both sides had agreed to carry out “orderly, healthy, and beneficial cultural exchanges.”
Lee described his recent summit with Xi Jinping as an opportunity to reset ties, stating that he hoped 2026 would become the first year of full-scale restoration of Korea-China relations. The visit marked Lee’s first trip to Beijing since taking office in June and comes amid broader efforts by Seoul to stabilise regional diplomacy.
Beyond cultural exchange, Lee also raised concerns over China’s construction of maritime structures in waters between the two countries. While Beijing maintains that the structures are for fish-farming purposes, South Korea has expressed security concerns. Both leaders agreed to continue constructive dialogue on the issue.
Regional security was another key focus of the discussions, particularly in the context of North Korea. Lee said he had asked President Xi to play a mediating role in Seoul’s attempts to engage Pyongyang diplomatically. Xi reportedly cautioned that patience would be required in any discussions involving nuclear-armed North Korea.
The proposed consultations on cultural exchange are being closely watched, especially by fans of Korean pop culture, as any easing of restrictions could signal a significant shift in China’s approach to Korean music, television, and entertainment after years of limited access.
Under the patronage of the Embassy of Italy in India, the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre New Delhi and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Mumbai, in collaboration with Serendipity Arts and with the support of MetaMorfosi Cultural Association, the exhibition of Magdalene in Ecstasy by Caravaggio is being presented at the 10th edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa. This marks the first time a work by Caravaggio is exhibited in Goa and India, bringing one of the most defining figures of Western art history into direct conversation with a contemporary, multidisciplinary cultural platform.
Painted during Caravaggio’s final, turbulent years while he was fleeing Rome after a fatal duel, Magdalene in Ecstasy captures Mary Magdalene in a moment suspended between spiritual transcendence and human vulnerability. Her tear-streaked face, stripped of ornate symbolism and rendered with stark emotional realism, reflects the artist’s inward turn during the last phase of his life. The work was among the paintings Caravaggio carried with him on his final journey toward a papal pardon that he would never receive.
The painting resurfaced in the early twenty-first century after centuries in relative obscurity and was authenticated by leading scholars, including Mina Gregori. Bearing historical markings linked to papal provenance, the work exemplifies Caravaggio’s radical departure from idealized religious imagery, retaining only the skull and cross as symbols of mortality and faith.
The exhibition was inaugurated on December 14, 2025, by Walter Ferrara, Consul General of Italy in Mumbai; Andrea Anastasio, Director of the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre in New Delhi; Francesca Amendola, Director of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Mumbai; and Smriti Rajgarhia, Director of Serendipity Arts, in the presence of Shrinivas Dempo, Honorary Consul of Italy in Goa, and Rohit Monserrat, Mayor of Panaji. The painting will remain on view until December 21, 2025, at the Directorate of Accounts, a heritage venue within the festival’s city-wide programme.
Within the festival context, Magdalene in Ecstasy is presented in dialogue with contemporary, site-specific installations, underscoring the enduring relevance of Caravaggio’s vision across centuries and cultures. The setting allows history and contemporaneity to intersect, offering audiences a rare opportunity to encounter a classical masterpiece within the living fabric of present-day artistic expression.
Reflecting on the exhibition, Consul General Walter Ferrara described it as a celebration that honours the shared artistic and spiritual heritage of Italy and Goa, while Serendipity Arts Co-Founder and Patron Shefali Munjal noted that the presentation exemplifies the festival’s commitment to fostering dialogue across geographies, time periods and artistic practices. Smriti Rajgarhia emphasized that the arrival of the painting in Goa positions South Asia within global conversations on heritage, creativity and cultural exchange.
Curated by Andrea Anastasio, Director of the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre in New Delhi, and coordinated by the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Mumbai in collaboration with Serendipity Arts, the exhibition stands as a milestone in cultural diplomacy. It reinforces the role of the Serendipity Arts Festival as a platform where historic works and contemporary practices meet, offering audiences an experience that is both reflective and transformative, and reaffirming the power of art to connect histories, cultures and communities across time.
St. Xavier’s College recently welcomed a delegation of 42 undergraduate and postgraduate students, accompanied by three faculty members from the Department of Microbiology at St. Francis College for Women, Hyderabad, for an academic and cultural exchange organized by the Department of Microbiology. The programme began with a prayer service and an inaugural ceremony at which Ms. Ursula Barreto, the Officiating Principal of St. Xavier’s College, highlighted the importance of collaborative learning and how exchange initiatives broaden student perspectives by exposing them to new practices, academic ideas, and diverse cultures.
The academic component of the visit consisted of two technical sessions conducted by faculty members from the Department of Microbiology at St. Xavier’s College. Dr. Trelita Sousa presented a session on “Tracing the Environmental Trajectory of Microplastics,” offering insights into one of the most pressing environmental concerns of today. This was followed by Dr. Valerie Gonsalves’ session on “Revolutionizing Health Through Gut Microbiome Transplantation,” which introduced students to emerging trends and transformative possibilities in medical microbiology. These sessions enabled visiting students to explore advanced research themes and engage directly with subject experts.
The day also included a vibrant cultural experience, featuring a Mando and a Goan folk dance performed by students of St. Xavier’s College. These performances added a celebratory dimension to the event and offered the visiting delegation a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage and artistic expressions of Goa.
As part of the exchange, the students were given a guided tour of the college campus, including the Science Block, various laboratories, and key academic facilities. This tour provided them with a firsthand experience of the infrastructure that supports scientific inquiry and innovation at St. Xavier’s.
The programme fulfilled its mission of promoting academic enrichment and strengthening bonds between the two institutions. Both colleges expressed optimism about future collaborative opportunities under the existing MoU, including research partnerships, faculty exchanges, and joint student initiatives. The visit marked an important step toward long-term academic engagement and mutual growth, deepening connections that are expected to lead to meaningful future collaborations.
