Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister Badri Prasad Pandey stated that the government was unsuccessful in getting Tilaurakot listed in the World Heritage List this time. He was speaking at a program held at Sheetal Niwas on Sunday.
Minister Pandey had attended the 146th World Heritage Meeting, submitting a proposal to include Tilaurakot in the World Heritage List. However, with International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) neither deferring nor approving the proposal, Tilaurakot remains in the deferred stage for this year.
“On a positive note, during the 146th World Heritage Meeting in Lumbini, we succeeded in preventing it from being listed as a heritage site in danger,” said Minister Pandey. “We had requested a one-year extension, promising to make improvements. That plan worked, and we swiftly carried out the necessary discussions. Now, in the 147th session, Lumbini has been removed from the list of endangered heritage sites.”
He added, “We had gone there with great enthusiasm. It was almost proven with facts that Tilaurakot was the capital of the Shakya dynasty. It should have been inscribed in the World Heritage List. However, due to some technical reasons—ICOMOS’s report and the lack of support from some countries whose backing we needed—it didn’t happen. India is among the 21 countries on the World Heritage Committee, but even India did not show strong support in this matter.”
Minister Pandey mentioned that they would work on improving the shortcomings and engage in diplomatic efforts with other countries to move forward next time.
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