New Delhi, July 20 (FN Agency) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday voiced happiness at India hosting the World Heritage Committee meeting for the first time, and said he looks forward to attending the programmes in New Delhi. In a post on X, the PM said: “It’s a matter of immense joy that India is hosting the meeting of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi. This is the first time our nation is hosting this Committee. I look forward to attending the programme at 7 PM tomorrow evening. This is an important forum to exchange views on ways to preserve our heritage.” India is hosting the World Heritage Committee Meeting for the first time The meeting will be attended by more than 2,000 national and international delegates from more than 150 countries.
Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee on July 21 at 7 pm at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. He will also address the gathering on the occasion. DG UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay will also attend the inaugural event. 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, a statement said. During the 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, etc., will be discussed.
Along with the World Heritage Committee Meeting, World Heritage Young Professionals’ Forum and World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum are also being held on the sidelines. Further, various exhibitions will also be set up at Bharat Mandapam to showcase India’s culture. The Return of Treasures Exhibition will showcase some of the retrieved artefacts brought back to the country. Till date, more than 350 artefacts have been brought back. Further, by using the latest AR & VR technologies, an immersive experience will be offered for three world heritage sites of India: Rani ki Vav, Patan, Gujarat; Kailasa Temple, Ellora Caves, Maharashtra; and Hoysala Temple, Halebid, Karnataka. Also, an ‘Incredible India’ exhibition will be set up to highlight India’s rich cultural heritage, age-old civilization, geographical diversity, tourism destinations along with modern developments in the field of Information Technology and infrastructure, the statement said.