World Heritage Day, also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites, is an annual observance held on April 18th. The day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of cultural heritage and to celebrate the diversity of our shared human history. The World Heritage Day represents a collective effort to preserve heritage around the world.
The Theme for 2023: “Heritage Changes”
Each year, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) proposes a theme for activities to be organised by its members and partners. The World Heritage Day 2023 theme is “Heritage Changes”. A different theme is featured each year, and events and activities are organized around the world to promote the protection and preservation of cultural heritage.
History of the Day
The day was established by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in 1982 during a seminar in Tunisia and was later approved by the United Nations General Assembly in 1983 at the 22nd session of the UNESCO Conference. The ICOMOS organization was established on the principles put down in the Venice Charter, also known as the 1964 International Charter on the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites.
Monuments of National Importance (MNI) of India
The Monuments of National Importance (MNI) are officially conserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which functions in accordance with The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 2010 (AMASR Act 2010). However, there are several issues with India’s MNIs, which are the subject of a recent government report titled ‘Report on Monuments of National Importance: The Urgent Need for Rationalization‘.
The Three Main Problems with the MNIs
The report identifies three main problems with the MNIs: selection issues, a skewed distribution of monuments across the country, and inadequate expenditure used for protecting MNIs.
Selection Issues:
A key issue with the current list of monuments is the criteria based on which a number of monuments were considered of national importance. Nearly 2,584 monuments in the current list have been shifted en masse from the colonial era lists with most never having been reviewed for cultural significance, historical relevance, or even national importance, over the years.
The report calls for these monuments to be visited and reevaluated to be placed on the new lists. The existing criteria for declaring a monument as a “monument of national importance” in India is not well-defined. Neither the AMASR Act 1958 nor the National Policy for Conservation, 2014 has a proper definition for what ‘national importance’ stands for. In the absence of any well-defined principles, the selection process is rather arbitrary.
Geographically Skewed Distribution of Monuments:
Another overarching issue with the current MNI list is the overall imbalance in geographical distribution of the MNIs. Nearly 60% (2,238 out of 3,695) of them are located in just five states: Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. While it is possible that a historically significant city like Delhi will have a cluster of sites, large forts, and palaces which may count as one site, it does not translate to why culturally and historically significant states like Bihar (70), Odisha (80), Chhattisgarh (46), and Kerala (29) have disproportionately fewer MNIs.
Inadequate Expenditure for the Protection of MNIs:
India’s total expenditure on the MNIs is very little and inadequate to take care of these large-scale monuments. A significant proportion of the allocated amount is mostly spent on peripheral activities and annual maintenance. Furthermore, there is also an imbalance in the distribution of these resources across the country.
Why In News
World Heritage Day/International Day for Monuments and Sites, which is celebrated on April 18th every year, aims to raise awareness about the importance of protecting and preserving cultural heritage sites and monuments for future generations.
MCQs about World Heritage Day and Monuments of National Importance in India
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What is the purpose of World Heritage Day/International Day for Monuments and Sites?
A. To celebrate the diversity of cultural heritage
B. To raise awareness about the importance of protecting cultural heritage sites
C. To encourage tourism
D. To promote international trade
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Which organization oversees the World Heritage List?
A. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
B. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
C. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
D. International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
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What is the main criterion for a site to be included on the World Heritage List?
A. It should have natural beauty
B. It should have historical significance
C. It should have economic importance
D. It should be popular among tourists
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How many sites are included on the World Heritage List?
A. 500
B. 1000
C. 1500
D. 2000
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