New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that India will contribute one million dollars to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre to provide support for heritage conservation in countries, especially of the Global South.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today, PM Modi said that India considers the preservation of global heritage as its responsibility, and hence, is providing support for heritage conservation not only in India but also in countries of the Global South.
"India considers the preservation of global heritage as its responsibility, and hence, we are providing support for heritage conservation not only in India but also in countries of the Global South. India is assisting in the conservation of many heritages like Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Cham Temples in Vietnam, and Bagan Stupa in Myanmar. In this direction, I am making an announcement. India will contribute one million dollars to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. This grant will be used for capacity building, technical assistance, and the conservation of world heritage sites," PM Modi said.
"A certificate programme in world heritage management has also started in India for young professionals," he added.
The Prime Minister also appealed everyone to come together to advance each other's heritage.
"Today, through the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee, India's appeal is to come together to advance each other's heritage. Let us unite for the expansion of human welfare sentiments. The world has also seen a time when heritage was ignored in the race for development, but today's era is much more aware," PM Modi said.
He also asserted that India's vision is both development and heritage.
"In the past 10 years, India has touched new dimensions of modern development and has also pledged to take pride in its heritage. Be it the Vishwanath Corridor in Kashi, the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, or the modern campus of the ancient Nalanda University. Numerous such works are happening across the country. Today, the benefits of Ayurveda are reaching the entire world, but it is India's scientific heritage," he added.
PM Modi also pointed out that India's heritage is not just history; it is also science.
"In India's heritage, one can witness a glorious journey of top-notch engineering. Just a few hundred kilometers from Delhi, at an altitude of 3500 meters, is the Kedarnath Temple. Even today, that place is so geographically challenging that people have to walk a lot or go by helicopter. It is astonishing that the construction of the Kedarnath Temple was done in the 8th century. Its engineering took into account the harsh environment and glaciers," he said.
"There are various centers of heritage in the world, but India is so ancient that every point of the present narrates a story of a glorious past. The world knows Delhi as the capital of India, but this city is also a center of thousand-year-old heritage. Here, at every step, you will witness historical heritage. About 15 kilometers from here, there is an iron pillar weighing several tons. A pillar that has been standing in the open for 2000 years, yet it is rust-resistant to date. This shows how advanced India's metallurgy was even at that time. It is clear that India's heritage is not only history, but it is also science," PM Modi added.
The Prime Minister also informed that a historic place in north-east India has been proposed to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
"The World Heritage Committee's program is a proud achievement for India. I have been informed that the historic "Maidam" of North East India is proposed to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This will be India's 43rd World Heritage site and the first heritage site in North East India to receive the status of a cultural world heritage," PM Modi informed.
