Heritage is the legacy of the past and is what we live with today. No need to say that it should be preserved and passed on to future generations. Our cultural heritage and natural heritage are both rare sources of life. Places and monuments which are unique in their characteristics and possess historical values make up our world's heritage.
World Heritage is the shared wealth of humankind and hence heritage sites need to be protected and preserved. Protecting and preserving this valuable assets of civilization demands the collective efforts of the international community. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located and this factor makes World Heritage exceptional.
Heritage sites may be classified as natural and manmade. These sites have gained global importance because they stand to represent the art, culture and civilization of the past. The determination, skill and architectural capability of our ancestors are reflected by manmade heritage sites and monuments and some of them could give us a clear picture of their imagination too.
Birth of World Heritage Day
On 18 April 1982, The International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) had organized a symposium in Tunisia and a proposal for worldwide annual celebration of the "International Day for Monuments and Sites" was put up. The committee felt the need for the celebration and approved the proposal with practical suggestions to the National Committees on how to organize this day. This approval was then ratified by the UNESCO General Conference by a resolution at its 22nd session in November 1983 declaring 18th April each year as "International Monuments and Sites Day".However this occasion came to be traditionally called the World Heritage Day. The World Heritage Day is celebrated in various ways. Visits to monuments and sites are scheduled with an aim of highlighting their importance and preservation. Every year, different themes related to the world heritage are chosen and debates, seminars etc are organized to mark the day.
ABOUT ICOMOS
Until the end of the 19th century, architectural heritage had been a matter of national interest. Countless associations existed in each country, but their scope never went beyond national borders. When the Second Congress of Architects and Specialists of Historic Buildings met in Venice, In 1964 13 resolutions were adopted, one among them, put forward by UNESCO, provided for the creation of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
- The objectives of ICOMOS are to collect, evaluate and disseminate information on conservation principles,
- techniques and policies;
- to co- operate with national and international authorities on the establishment of documentation centres specialising in conservation;
- to work for the adoption and implementation of international conventions on the conservation and enhancement of architectural heritage;
- to participate in the organisation of training programmes for conservation specialists on a world-wide scale;
- to put expertise of highly qualified professionals and specialists at the service of the international community - with the collective assistance from the conservation specialists from all over the world. It serves as a forum for professional dialogue and exchange of ideas.The initiatives of ICOMOS includes, inter-alia, awaking public interest in conservation by encouraging media coverage and the celebration of the International Day for Monuments and Sites on 18 April.
WORLD HERITAGE MISSION OF UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.UNESCO's World Heritage Mission is to:
- encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage;
- encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List;
- encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites;
- help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training;
- provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger;
- support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation;
- encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage;
- encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage.
Celebration of World Heritage Day
Variety of events that would help people connect with the past are being planned, including heritage walks, heritage property open days and museum and library displays.To call the attention of the public to the World Heritage Day and preservation of cultural heritage, banners are put up in important places and principal traffic arteries. Debates, discussions and conferences are organised in cultural-centres, city halls, and other public places and experts and personalities from all over the world are invited to take part. Interviews and exhibitions to highlight the world heritage are conducted. Publication of books, post-cards, stamps, posters etc. is also part of the programme.Through media like newspapers and magazines, as well as television and radio broadcasts, the message of world heritage is spread. Visits to monuments and sites, and restoration works, possibly with free admission are arranged. As a highlight of the celebrations, awards and certificates are presented to those persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage or produced an excellent publication on the subject. If any monument has recently been resurrected, inaugurating it will also mark the celebration. registered:
Special awareness raising activities amongst school children and youth like painting competitions, debates etc concerning with the theme of the year are conducted and prizes awarded as a token of encouragement. Here are the themes that were subject of focus for World heritage Day observance for the past few years: Save our historic villages, 20th Century Heritage, Underwater Cultural Heritage, Earthen Architecture and Heritage, 40th Anniversary of ICOMOS, Industrial Heritage, Cultural landscapes and monuments of nature, Religious heritage and sacred places, Heritage and Science and Agricultural Heritage.