Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 21 said that moving ahead with a vision of “development as well as heritage”, India was committed to promoting global cooperation and engaging local communities in heritage conservation efforts.
“It is India’s clarion call to the world to come together to promote each others’ heritage and amplify the spirit of human welfare,” Mr. Modi said, inaugurating the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in the national capital.
The World Heritage Committee meets annually and is responsible for managing all matters on World Heritage sites, and deciding on sites to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. India is hosting the World Heritage Committee meeting for the first time.
“India’s vision is development as well as heritage — vikas bhi, virasat bhi. India is committed to promoting global cooperation and engaging local communities towards heritage conservation efforts,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that more than 350 heritage items have been brought back in recent times. “This return of ancient heritage artifacts is a display of global generosity and respect for history,” he said.
He mentioned northeast India’s historic ‘Maidam’ has been nominated to enter UNESCO’s popular World Heritage List, and is India’s 43rd World Heritage Site and northeast India’s first heritage to secure the status of Cultural World Heritage.
“India’s history and sense of history are older and more elaborate than the normal, leading to the need for new perspectives to witness the past with technological developments and new discoveries,” Mr. Modi said.
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Bringing to notice the findings in Sinauli in Uttar Pradesh, including the discovery of a “4,000-year-old horse-driven chariot”, he said such discoveries stress that in order to know India, there is a need for prejudice-free new concepts. He invited the gathering to be part of this new stream.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi watches an exhibition during the inauguration of the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee, at Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi on July 21, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI
He encouraged people to use this potential of heritage for the betterment of the world, and to connect hearts. “It is India’s clarion call to the world to come together to promote each others’ heritage and amplify the spirit of human welfare, encourage tourism, and create more job opportunities through the 46th World Heritage Committee meeting,” Mr. Modi said.
Published - July 21, 2024 09:45 pm IST
