New Delhi | Heritage is not just history but a "shared consciousness" of humanity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday while encouraging people to leverage heritage to enhance global wellbeing and forge deeper connections.
In his address at the opening ceremony of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) at the Bharat Mandapam here, Modi also underlined the universality of heritage and said whenever one looks at historical sites, "our mind rises above current geopolitical factors".
He also announced that India will contribute USD 1 million to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre which will be used for capacity building, technical assistance and conservation of world heritage sites. He also underlined that this money will be useful for the countries of the Global South.
Modi made the announcement in the presence of UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay and a large number of delegates from around the world.
India is hosting the key event of the UNESCO for the first time. It is being held from July 21-July 31.
Modi was joined on the dais by Azoulay, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Vishal V Sharma, chairperson of the WHC and ambassador and permanent representative of India to UNESCO, among others.
Applauding the WHC, the prime minister said that hosting this programme is a matter of pride for India and asserted that "India's vision is 'Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi'".
He highlighted that North East's historic 'Moidams' -- a mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty in Assam -- has been nominated for inclusion in the World Heritage List.
This will be India's 43rd World Heritage Site and North East India's first to get the status of cultural world heritage, he said and expressed belief that 'Moidams' with its unique cultural significance will become more popular and gain more traction in tourism sector after bagging a place in the coveted list.
Modi emphasised that the session is being hosted in India which is one of the oldest living civilisations in the world. "India is so ancient that every point of time in the present moment is a reflection of its glorious past." The world knows Delhi as India's capital, but it is the centre of thousands of years of heritage and one can find heritage and history at every step of the way, he said. He cited the example of the ancient Iron Pillar which has been rust-free till now, giving a glimpse of India's metallurgical prowess in the past.
"India's heritage is not just history, it is also science. In India's heritage, one also witnesses a glorious journey of top-notch engineering," he asserted.
The meeting is being attended by more than 2,000 delegates from over 150 countries.
Underlining the significance of heritage, the prime minister said, "Heritage is not only history, it is a shared consciousness of humanity. Whenever we look at historical sites, our mind rises above current geopolitical factors." "Heritage is not just history. It is a shared consciousness of humanity. We must leverage it to enhance global well-being and forge deeper connections," Modi posted on X later.
In his speech, Modi further said, "It is India's clarion call to the world to come together to promote each other's heritage and amplify the spirit of human welfare, encourage tourism and create more job opportunities through the 46th World Heritage Committee meeting." He also said that ancient sites of Lothal and Dholavira in Gujarat show advancements that such old civilisations had in that era. India's history and Indian civilisation are much older and broader than the common perception of history, Modi said.
He mentioned findings in the past in Uttar Pradesh's Sinauli, where copper age findings are closer to Vedic Age rather than the Indus Valley Civilisation. He talked about the discovery of a 4000-year-old horse-driven chariot. Such discoveries stress that in order to know India, there is a need for new ways of looking at the past, he said.
Prior to the inauguration, the prime minister visited an exhibition at the Bharat Mandapam that showcases some of the artefacts brought back to the country. Till date, more than 350 artefacts have been brought back, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Saturday.
Wearing a saree, the director general of UNESCO was also present along with Modi during his visit to the exhibition.
In his address at the inaugural ceremony, the PM also spoke of the exhibition and said the return of the ancient artefacts reflects global liberalism and a feeling of respect towards history.
He said the 46th WHC session is taking place in "one of the most ancient living civilisations of the world".
He lauded the engineering feats that the ancient heritage sites represent, as he cited the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand and the Brihadishvara temple built by the Cholas.
He said there was there was a phase in history when heritage was neglected in the pursuit of development, but this generation has more awareness.
Modi mentioned projets such as Kashi Viswanath Corridor, Ram temple, modern campus of the new Nalanda university.
He urged all foreign guests and dignitaries to explore India during their stay in the country.
