International Day for Monuments and Sites is annually observed across the globe on 18th April to preserve human heritage which has ancient importance and to recognise the endeavours of the organisations which are working for it. In many countries the day is celebrated as – World Heritage Day.
- The Theme of the International Day for Monuments and Sites 2021 is ‘Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures’.
- The world heritage day is an effort of the communities across the globe to do the necessities to preserve the ancient buildings and monuments.
- The International Day for Monuments and Sites is globally promoted by the International Council on Monuments and Sites(ICOMOS).
Background:
i.The 1982 General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved establishment of 18th April as International day for Monuments and Sites.
ii.UNESCO passed the resolution at its 22nd session in November 1983 and established the 18th April of every year as the International Day for Monuments and Sites.
Events in India:
i.On 18th April 2021, Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (independent Charge) inaugurated the first ever online exhibition on Ramayana.
India’s Heritage Sites
i.India is the sixth country to have the maximum number of world heritage sites.China, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France have more locations on the list than India.
ii.India is home to 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, out of the 1121 such spots identified around the World.There are 30 cultural sites, 7 natural sites and 1 mixed as recognised by UNESCO.
iii.In 2019, ‘Jaipur City’ became the 38th addition to the India list under Culture.
About International Council on Monuments and Sites(ICOMOS):
ICOMOS is a non governmental international organisation which is dedicated to conserving the monuments and sites across the globe.
Director General- Marie-Laure Lavenir
Headquarters– Paris, France
