Kochi: Kochi’s historic landmarks, traditional fishing culture and modern water transport found their way to international audiences as a 35-member delegation of social media influencers and content creators from 20 BRICS member and partner countries explored the city on Wednesday.
The delegation was invited by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following the BRICS Summit held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. The initiative aimed to give international audiences a glimpse of India’s contemporary development, heritage, and local lifestyles through the creators’ social media platforms.
The group included influencers from 11 BRICS member countries — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the UAE — and nine BRICS partner countries — Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Cuba and Vietnam. BRICS currently has 11 members, including India, and 10 partner countries.
The creators reached Kochi after travelling through Delhi, Agra, Thiruvananthapuram, Varkala and Kumarakom.
Social media influencers from BRICS countries posing for a photo infront of the Kochi Water Metro. Photo: Special arrangement
Their Kochi itinerary began with breakfast at a leading hotel in the city, followed by a visit to Fort Kochi, where they explored the area’s colonial architecture and maritime heritage.
The Chinese fishing nets were among the major attractions. Local fishermen demonstrated the traditional counterweight-operated cantilever mechanism used to raise and lower the nets, with several creators joining them to manually haul up the nets and land a catch.
The delegation then headed to Mattancherry to experience the Kochi Water Metro. They boarded an electric-hybrid boat for the 45-minute journey to the High Court Terminal.
The ride offered the creators a close look at Kochi’s waterways while showcasing the city’s integrated water-based public transport system. The boats’ modern passenger cabins, panoramic views and electric-hybrid technology drew particular interest from the visitors.
Several members of the delegation recorded and livestreamed their journey, along with views of Kochi’s waterfront, for their followers in different parts of the world.
Having completed their Kerala itinerary, the creators left India on Wednesday evening for their respective home countries.