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UNESCO world heritage sites

Topics Covered: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

UNESCO world heritage sites:

Context:

Six sites have been added to India’s tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites.

These include:

  1. Maratha military architecture in Maharashtra.
  2. Hire Benkal megalithic site in Karnataka.
  3. Bhedaghat-Lametaghat of Narmada Valley in Madhya Pradesh.
  4. Ganga ghats in Varanasi.
  5. temples of Kancheepuram.
  6. Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

With the addition of these six sites, the UNESCO has 48 proposals in tentative list of India.

What Next?

These proposals will remain in the tentative list for a year after which the government will decide which one of them to push for in their final dossier to UNESCO.

What is a World Heritage site?

  • A World Heritage site is classified as a natural or man-made area or a structure that is of international importance, and a space which requires special protection.
  • These sites are officially recognised by the UN and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, also known as UNESCO.
  • UNESCO believes that the sites classified as World Heritage are important for humanity, and they hold cultural and physical significance.

Key facts:

  1. The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 UNESCO member states which are elected by the General Assembly.
  2. Each World Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of the state wherein the site is located and UNESCO considers it in the interest of the international community to preserve each site.
  3. To be selected, a World Heritage Site must be an already classified landmark, unique in some respect as a geographically and historically identifiable place having special cultural or physical significance.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

  1. Who declares a site as world heritage site?
  2. What is endangered list?
  3. What is tentative list?
  4. WHS in India and their locations?

Sources: the Hindu.