PM Modi inaugurated the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

India is hosting the World Heritage Committee Meeting for the first time which will continue till 31st of July. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Modi said, India is committed to promoting global cooperation and engaging local communities towards heritage conservation efforts.

He said, India’s heritage is not just a history but also a science. The Prime Minister said, over the years, the government has brought back more than 350 ancient heritage sites of India. He said, the return of ancient heritage reflects global generosity and respect for history. The Prime Minister said, this event is taking place in India, which is one of the oldest living civilizations in the world.

Prime Minister Modi announced that India will contribute one million dollar to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. He said, this grant will be used for capacity building, technical assistance and conservation of the world heritage sites. Mr Modi said, the grant will especially be used for the countries of the Global South.

Prime Minister Modi said, the vision of India is development as well as heritage. He said, in the last ten years,  India has touched new dimensions of modern development and also taken unprecedented steps to preserve its heritage.

Mr Modi said that the northeast’s historic Moidam is proposed to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. He said, it will be India’s 43rd World Heritage site and the first heritage of northeast India, rated as the Cultural World Heritage.

On the occasion, Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, the event provides an opportunity to showcase India’s rich culture, heritage and its diversity to international and national delegates. He said, apart from this, India will showcase the efforts made by the government in maintaining its historical and cultural heritage. The Minister said, the proposals for nominating new sites on the World Heritage list will also be discussed during the meeting.

The World Heritage Committee meets once a year and is responsible for managing all matters pertaining to World Heritage and deciding on sites to be inscribed on the World Heritage list. During this meeting, proposals for nominating new sites on the World Heritage list, State of Conservation reports of 124 existing World Heritage properties, International Assistance and Utilisation of World Heritage Funds among others will be discussed. Over two thousand international and national delegates from more than 150 countries will attend the meeting.