New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday encouraged people to use the potential of heritage for the good of the world and to connect hearts, saying heritage is not just history but the “shared consciousness” of humanity. In his address at the opening ceremony of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) at Bharat Mandapam here, PM Modi also underlined the universality of heritage and said whenever one sees historical sites, “our mind rises above the current geopolitical factors”.
India is hosting the flagship UNESCO event for the first time from July 21 to July 31. PM Modi was accompanied on the dais by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, among others. Before the inauguration, the Prime Minister visited an exhibition at Bharat Mandapam that showcases some of the artefacts brought back to the country.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement on Saturday that so far more than 350 artifacts have been brought back to the country. While visiting the exhibition, PM Modi was accompanied by the Director General of UNESCO, who was wearing a sari. The Prime Minister talked about the exhibition in his address at the inaugural ceremony and said that the return of ancient artifacts reflects the spirit of global liberalism and respect for history.
He said the 46th WHC session is taking place in “one of the world’s oldest living civilisations”. PM Modi also praised the engineering achievements that are visible in ancient heritage sites. He cited the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand and the Brihadishvara temple built by the Chola rulers in Tamil Nadu. He said, “India’s heritage is not just history, it is also science. In India’s heritage, a glorious journey of top-level engineering is also seen.” More than 2,000 delegates from over 150 countries are attending the meeting.
The WHC meets once a year and is responsible for managing all matters relating to World Heritage Sites and deciding on the sites to be included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Underlining the importance of heritage, the Prime Minister said, “Heritage is not just history, it is the shared consciousness of humanity. Whenever we see historical sites, our mind rises above current geopolitical factors.”
PM Modi encouraged people to ‘harness this potential of heritage for world welfare and use heritage to connect hearts’. He said, “This is India’s call to the countries of the world to come together to promote each other’s heritage and enhance the spirit of human well-being, encourage tourism and create more employment opportunities through the 46th meeting of the World Heritage Committee.”
Tags: Narendra Modi
FIRST PUBLISHED : July 21, 2024, 22:37 IST