By IANS,
New Delhi: India has been elected to the World Heritage Committee, getting the second highest number of votes after Japan in the election in Paris Nov 7, Culture Minister Kumari Selja said Friday. It will serve on the panel for four years.
Being part of the World Heritage Committee will enable India to take part in matters related to the World Heritage Convention which includes scrutiny of dossiers for inscription on the World Heritage list, the minister said at a press conference here.
This is India’s third stint in the committee, Selja said.
Briefing the media about the schemes and commemorative events launched by the culture ministry, she said it was hosting several commemorations that included the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, the 150 birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the 150th birth anniversary of Madan Mohan Malaviya, the 150th anniversary of the Archaeological Survey of India and the silver jubilee celebrations of the Zonal Cultural Centres.
The ministry has initiated a scheme to preserve the cultural heritage of the Himalayas and in the northeast, Selja said.
In other schemes:
– the government is launching a “Cultural Heritage Young Leadership Programme” Nov 19 to promote cultural awareness among school children;
– the ministry has received proposals for the installation of Tagore busts during the commemoration year. One such bust has already been installed in the University of Lausanne in Switzerland which was unveiled by President Prathiba Patil in October 2011. Two more busts will be installed in Israel and Colombia.
– The government has also sanctioned Rs.100 crore to set up a Vivekananda Value Education Programme to the Ramakrishna Mission at Belur Math on the seer’s 150th birth anniversary.