Five Indian cities included in World Heritage List

The Union Government on 22 March 2017 informed that five Indian cities were included in the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The information was given by the Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) Dr Mahesh Sharmain in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

The five Indian cities included in the list are –

i. Ahmedabad

ii. Delhi

iii. Jaipur

iv. Bhubaneswar

v. Mumbai

The following is the criteria for inclusion in the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

• To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius

• To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design

Dalai Lama Inaugurated the International Buddhist Conference in Bihar

• To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared

• To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history

• To be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use, which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change

• To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance

• To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance

• To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features

• To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals

• To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation