UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Internatonal Org.)

Context: India is set to host the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

UNESCO World Heritage Committee

• About: The committee was founded under the UNESCO Convention on World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1972 to oversee its implementation globally.
• Composition: comprises representatives from 21 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention (1972) elected by the General Assembly of UNESCO.
• 45th UNESCO World Heritage Committee: Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
• Current Members: Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Türkiye, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Zambia.
• Role in World Heritage Protection: It manages the World Heritage Fund, providing financial aid, and decides which sites are included on the prestigious World Heritage List.
• The "Five Cs: Credibility, Conservation, Capacity-building, Communication and Communities.
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India: India boasts 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with Santiniketan being the latest addition in September 2023, recognized for its association with Rabindranath Tagore.