Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday announced that India will host the World Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), a landmark event for Media and Entertainment industry world over in Goa, from 20th to 24th November this year.

The Minister made the announcement at a curtain raiser event on the WAVES here, along with Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant and Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L Murugan.

Mr Vaishnaw said “the media and entertainment (M&E) world is undergoing a structural change and has seen immense technology infusion. This has, on one hand, opened many opportunities, but on the other, also caused concerns among few participants who have not been able to keep up with the change.”

He said the role of public policy today, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is to enable the harnessing of the best out of this structural change. He said the Government is committed to supporting the entire ecosystem of media and entertainment in coping with this change.

The Minister said the Government focus is on creating employment in the media and entertainment sector and augment the talent pipeline. This will be executed via both structural and procedural efforts.

These efforts will ensure creation of an ecosystem that encourages high quality content, creates and protects IP rights in the country and cause the world to recognize India as a natural choice for establishing their content creation centers, he said.

He said this endeavour will require closely coordinated efforts between the M&E industry, the financial sector and the world of technology. This necessitates well-thought policy initiatives and the Minister hoped that in the months ahead, the government and the industry will combine their efforts towards that goal.

The Minister said that WAVES and IFFI will form different parts of the same spectrum and that WAVES Summit represents the input, while the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is the output. He said that convergence of input and output will establish Goa as a major hub for creativity and talent, solidifying its position as a beacon for innovation and artistic expression.

He expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister of Goa for hosting WAVES 2024 alongside IFFI so that both ends of the spectrum come together.

The Minister launched, the website of WAVES 2024 ( https://wavesindia.org/) and unveiled brochure of the summit.

The Goa Chief Minister said that whereas IFFI has long been a beacon of cinematic excellence, WAVES will introduce a new dimension of industry collaboration by focusing on the emerging M&E sector.

He said the two events together will create an opportunity to leap into a future of unparallel opportunities. Stating that WAVES will further establish Goa as a cultural hub, he invited M&E industry to come to Goa with a spirit of innovation and collaboration.

Dr Murugan said that WAVES 2024 will bring to life the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of bringing global leaders from the M&E industry to India. He said the Summit will create a platform to encourage the skilled manpower of the country from the sector.

I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju said “The aim of the Summit is to bolster India’s soft power as India grows economically. The Summit is expected to set new benchmarks in creativity, innovation and influence.”