TBM Staff - Mumbai
Nepal’s Lumbini and the UK’s ancient Stonehenge, both UNESCO World Heritage sites, are under review by the World Heritage Committee (WHC) due to concerns that may impact their values, a senior UNESCO official stated on Monday. The 46th WHC session, hosted in India for the first time, will also address the conservation status of endangered UNESCO heritage sites, including three in Ukraine. This significant event is being held from July 21 to July 31 at Bharat Mandapam.
During a press interaction, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of UNESCO World Heritage, mentioned that the Committee will specifically examine Lumbini and Stonehenge. He suggested that these two sites might be added to the List of World Heritage in Danger due to ongoing development pressures. Assomo emphasised the need for collaboration with Nepal’s government to address these issues at Lumbini, highlighting the site’s global and sacred significance.
Similarly, ongoing development projects at Stonehenge could affect its values. The aim is to find the best solutions through discussions among committee members. The WHC session will also discuss three endangered sites in Ukraine: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings in Kyiv, the Ensemble of the Historic Centre in Lviv, and the Historic Centre of Odesa, as confirmed by Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO.
The WHC uses satellite monitoring to gather information on threatened sites and provides solutions through advisory bodies that State Parties can implement. When examining a site’s conservation status, there is a debate among committee members to find the best approach for improving conditions. The Committee can offer corrective measures and recommendations to enhance heritage conservation efforts.
The WHC session’s provisional agenda indicates that discussions on endangered heritage properties’ conservation status will continue. The Committee aims to provide actionable solutions and technical advice to improve conditions at these threatened sites, highlighting UNESCO’s commitment to preserving world heritage properties by addressing current threats and ensuring sustainable conservation practices.
