World Heritage Day 2022:
Every year, 18th April is celebrated as International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as ‘World Heritage Day’.
- The theme for World Heritage Day 2022 is “Heritage and Climate”.
World Heritage Day:
- The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) established the day in 1982 and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved it in 1983.
- The aim of the day is to create awareness about Heritage among communities.
- A World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by UNESCO for its special cultural or physical significance.
- The list of World Heritage Sites is maintained by the international ‘World Heritage Programme’, administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
- This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
- India is home to a total of 3691 monuments and sites. Of these 40 are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
- Including places like the Taj Mahal, Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves.
- World Heritage Sites also include natural sites like the Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
- Harappan city of Dholavira in Gujarat as India’s 40th world heritage site.
- Ramappa Temple (Telangana) was India’s 39th World Heritage Site.
- Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim has been inscribed as India’s first and the only “Mixed World Heritage Site”.
- In 2022, the Union Ministry of Culture nominated Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas temples for consideration as a World Heritage site for the year 2022-2023.
