The International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day, is annually observed across the globe on 18th April to celebrate and spread awareness about the cultural heritage and diversity on the planet.
- The day aims to encourage local communities and individuals throughout the world to consider the importance of cultural heritage to their lives, identities and communities.
- The day also promotes awareness of the diversity and vulnerability of the heritage sites and the efforts required to protect and conserve them.
The theme of International Day for Monuments and Sites 2022 is “Heritage and Climate”. The theme for activities to be organized is annually proposed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
Significance of the theme:
The 2022 theme “Heritage and Climate” offers a platform to respond to questions like how to employ climate justice and equity to protect heritage and the ways to achieve equitable protection of vulnerable communities through climate action while responding to the United Nations (UN)’s Decade of Action.
Background:
i.ICOMOS, a non-governmental international organisation dedicated to the conservation of the world’s monuments and sites established 18th April as the International Day for Monuments and Sites in 1982 followed by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adoption during its 22nd General Conference.
ii.The day was first observed first in 1983 by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Heritage sites of India:
i.The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ministry of Culture is the premier organization for archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage of India.
ii.At present, 3,691 monuments across India are protected by the ASI, with the highest number, 745, in Uttar Pradesh(UP).
iii.At present, 40 properties of India are inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites, which include the recently added Dholavira: A Harappan City (Gujarat) (2021) and Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple (Telangana) (2021).
iv.The 40 sites include 1 mixed site, 7 Natural sites and 32 cultural sites.
About International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS):
President– Teresa Patricio (Belgium)
Secretary General– Mario Santana (Canada)
Headquarters– Paris, France
