 "What is World Heritage Week? Here's all you need to know about the week")
Every year, the world celebrates World Heritage Week from November 19, 2023, to November 25, 2023. The week aims to promote the conservation of culture and heritage across the globe. This is a week-long festival, aimed to spread awareness about the traditions and cultures of different parts of the world. World Heritage Week is celebrated by UNESCO and other international organisations. In India, the festival is celebrated by the Archaeological Survey of India.
What is World Heritage Week?
World Heritage Week celebrates the heritage sites recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage sites are those places or monuments which hold cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance, hence, this is our responsibility to protect these treasures and ensure they endure for our present and future generations.
World Heritage Week 2023 is more than a celebration, as it is a way to urge people, communities, governments, and individuals to actively participate in conserving this invaluable heritage place. It also fosters a sense of pride in cultural diversity, defining us while emphasising our collective responsibility.
It was founded in 1945 so that intellectual and moral solidarity can be built. Consequently, the World Heritage Week was started to be celebrated to help the world build a lasting peace. The devastating effects of the two world wars forced all nations to think in this direction.
ASI exempted entry fees
In India, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) celebrates World Heritage Week, and it has exempted the fees of all the protected monuments, including the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Minar at Fatehpur Sikri, etc, for one day, November 19, 2023, ANI reported.
UNESCO's world heritage site, the Taj Mahal, witnessed a massive hike in the number of visitors amid fee waive in the architectural marvel, which is accessible to more people. However, it is worth mentioning that the mausoleum of the Taj Mahal was not exempted from the entry fee.
ASI has protected over 3,650 ancient monuments and archaeological sites. These sites are of different periods, ranging from prehistoric to the colonial period, located in geographical settings. The preserved sites include temples, mosques, tombs, churches, forts, rock-cut caves, secular architecture, and ancient mounds and sites as well, representing the ancient habitation remains.