New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) The state of conservation of UNESCO heritage properties, focusing on those inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, will be discussed in the upcoming meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Delhi, the Ministry of Culture said on Friday.
The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) is scheduled to be held here, the first time in India, between July 21 and July 31.
“The session has a comprehensive agenda addressing various critical issues. Reports from the previous session and the World Heritage Centre will be reviewed. The committee will discuss the state of conservation of World Heritage properties, focusing on those inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger,” the ministry said in a statement.
According to the UNESCO website, there are 56 properties which the WHC has decided to include on the List of World Heritage in Danger in accordance with Article 11 (4) of the World Heritage Convention.
These sites include Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan, Historic Centre of Vienna in Austria, Archaeological Site of Cyrene in Libya and three in Ukraine — Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv; The Ensemble of the Historic Centre in L’viv; and The Historic Centre of Odesa.
The 46th session of the WHC marks a “pivotal moment” in global heritage conservation efforts. The Union Ministry of Culture and its attached office, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), are the nodal agencies to host the session this year, the ministry said.
There will be a significant emphasis on capacity-building activities and the progress of ‘World Heritage-related Category 2’ centres. The nomination process for new world heritage sites will be examined, including updates to the World Heritage List, the statement said.
“The session will also cover the implementation of the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting and the review of international assistance. Financial matters, such as the presentation of the final accounts and budget execution reports, will be addressed.
“The agenda includes the election of the chairperson and other officials for the next session, and concluding with the adoption of decisions,” it added.
This session underscores the ongoing commitment to safeguarding the irreplaceable treasures for future generations.
“By fostering global collaboration and adherence to the principles of the World Heritage Convention, the Committee continues to play a pivotal role in ensuring that our world’s most significant sites endure and thrive in the face of contemporary challenges,” the statement said.
Ahead of the key session, the government recently launched a public art project with works themed on India’s cultural legacy and the country’s UNESCO heritage sites, among others.
“Project PARI (Public Art of India)”, an initiative of the Union Ministry of Culture being executed by the Lalit Kala Akademi and the National Gallery of Modern Art, “seeks to bring forth public art that draws inspiration from millennia of artistic heritage (lok kala/lok sanskriti) while incorporating modern themes and techniques”, the ministry said in a statement on July 6.
In sync with the proposed 46th WHC meeting, some of the artwork and sculptures will draw inspiration from world heritage sites such as Bimbetka and the natural world heritage sites in India and accord them a special place in the proposed artworks, officials said.
The number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India grew to 42 with the ‘Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala’ finding a place in the coveted list last September, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had said.
These sites include 34 in the cultural category, seven in the natural category and one mixed property.
They include Red Fort, Humayun Tomb and Qutab Minar in Delhi; Taj Mahal in Agra; ancient Nalanda university ruins and the Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar; Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas in Karnataka and Santiniketan in West Bengal.
Currently, India has the sixth largest number of (UNESCO) sites in the world. The countries that have 42 or more world heritage sites are Italy, Spain, Germany, China and France, the ASI earlier said in an earlier statement. PTI KND KSS KSS
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