
Jaishankar "delighted" as Maratha Military Landscapes get UNESCO World Heritage tag
These military landscapes, developed between the 17th and 19th centuries, feature extraordinary fortification systems that showcase the complexity and strategic prowess of Maratha defence systems.
In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Delighted that 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' has been inscribed in @UNESCO #WorldHeritage list. Developed between the 17th & 19th centuries, the extraordinary fortification systems showcase the complexity and strategic prowess of Maratha defence systems as well as India's rich civilizational legacy."
In a remarkable decision taken at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee, India's official nomination for 2024-25 cycle, 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' got inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India's 44th property to receive this recognition. This global accolade celebrates India's enduring cultural legacy, showcasing its diverse traditions of architectural brilliance, regional identity, and historical continuity, the Ministry of Culture said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, lauded the historic milestone and congratulated the people of India for this achievement.
The proposal was sent to the consideration of World Heritage Committee in Jan 2024 and after a rigorous eighteen-month long process involving several technical meetings with the advisory bodies and visit of ICOMOS's mission to review the sites, this historic decision was taken by the members of the World Heritage Committee today evening at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris.
On Friday, Jaishankar offered warm wishes as Mongolia begins the celebrations of the Naadam Festival.
In a post on X, he greeted his Mongolian counterpart and offered wishes to the Government and people of Mongolia.
He expressed optimism in the India-Mongolia relationship spanning across areas such as economic cooperation, cultural and spiritual ties and hoped for them to continue flourishing.
EAM wrote on X, "Warm greetings FM Battsetseg Batmunkh, the Government and people of Mongolia on 'Naadam Festival' celebrations. May our economic cooperation, cultural and spiritual ties continue to flourish and enrich our strategic partnership."
Naadam is a national festival celebrated every year from July 11 to 13 across Mongolia that focuses on three traditional games: horse racing, wrestling and archery, as noted by UNESCO Intangible Heritage.
UNESCO has recognised it as an intangible cultural heritage.
UNESCO intangible heritage observed that the festival comprises oral traditions, performing arts, national cuisine, craftsmanship, and cultural forms such as long song, Khoomei overtone singing, Bie biyelgee dance and Morin khuur fiddle.
Mongolians follow special rituals and practices during the festival, such as wearing unique costumes and using distinctive tools and sporting items. Festival participants revere the sportsmen, sportswomen, and children who compete, and winners are rewarded titles for their achievements.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Observer
5 hours ago
- Observer
Cambodia marks Unesco recognition
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia held ceremonies across the country on Sunday to celebrate Unesco's recognition of three former Khmer Rouge sites as World Heritage, honouring their transformation from centres of repression to places of peace and reflection. The Tuol Sleng prison and Choeung Ek killing fields in Phnom Penh, and M-13 prison in Kampong Chhnang province were inscribed as "Cambodian Memorial Sites: From centres of repression to places of peace and reflection" during a Unesco meeting in Paris. "This is a model for the world, showing the long struggle of Cambodia, reconciliation, the spirit of national unity, finding justice for the victims and building peace," said interim Culture Minister Hab Touch. The Khmer Rouge sites mark Cambodia's fifth World Heritage listing, and is the country's first modern-era nomination and among the first globally tied to recent conflict. The sites are a stark reminder of the atrocities committed under Pol Pot's regime from 1975 to 1979, during which an estimated 1.7 million to 2.2 million people died, many from starvation, torture, or execution. The Tuol Sleng prison, which held approximately 15,000 prisoners, is now a genocide museum. — Reuters


Times of Oman
17 hours ago
- Times of Oman
India's Jaishankar set to begin first China visit in five years
Beijing: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will arrive in Beijing on Sunday evening, his first trip to China in five years. The visit comes at a time when both countries are trying to ease tensions and improve ties that plummeted following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. Jaishankar, who is on a two-nation tour -- Singapore and China is scheduled to arrive in Beijing this evening after wrapping up the Singapore leg of his visit. The External Affairs Minister is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, for a bilateral meeting on Monday. Jaishankar and Wang last met in February on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Johannesburg, where both sides echoed calls for mutual trust and support. Jaishankar will also attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' in Tianjin on July 15. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that "EAM will visit the People's Republic of China to participate in the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers' Meeting (CFM) being held in Tianjin. EAM will also hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the CFM." This is Jaishankar's first visit to China since relations soured following the deadly military clash in Galwan in 2020. Jaishankar's visit follows visits by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who had travelled to China in June for the SCO meetings. Wang Yi is also expected to visit India next month to meet NSA Ajit Doval -- part of a planned round of dialogue under the Special Representatives (SR) mechanism aimed at resolving the decades-old boundary dispute. Even as diplomatic talks continue, China's recent trade actions have raised eyebrows in New Delhi. In recent weeks, China has either delayed or stopped key exports to India, including rare earth magnets, fertilisers, and tunnel boring machines meant for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. Adding fuel to the fire, China's covert and overt support to Pakistan, particularly during the clashes in May this year, remains a sticking point. These thorny issues threaten to overshadow any constructive dialogue at the SCO meeting. The SCO meeting may also come with its own set of challenges. Last month, India refused to sign a joint statement at the SCO defence ministers' meeting after it did not include any mention of the terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people. India had pushed for strong references to terrorism, but one country -- believed to be Pakistan -- disagreed. A similar deadlock may play out again during the foreign ministers' meeting, making Jaishankar's task tougher. SCO is a 10-nation Eurasian security and political grouping whose members include China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Iran. The 25th Heads of State Council meeting of the SCO will be held in Tianjin later this year. India had chaired the SCO Presidency in 2023 while Pakistan hosted the SCO Leaders' Summit in 2024. The 2020 Galwan Valley standoff between India and China was the worst border clash in over 40 years, resulting in the death of soldiers on both sides. The incident sharply escalated tensions and brought bilateral ties to a historic low. The decision to revive the SR dialogue and other dormant channels was reportedly taken during a brief exchange between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit in Kazan, Russia, in October last year. There have been a few glimmers of positive movement, most notably the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after nearly five years. It remains unclear whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China to attend the grouping's annual summit.


Times of Oman
19 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Jaishankar "delighted" as Maratha Military Landscapes get UNESCO World Heritage tag
New Delhi: India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed happiness after the "Maratha Military Landscapes of India" were officially inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list. These military landscapes, developed between the 17th and 19th centuries, feature extraordinary fortification systems that showcase the complexity and strategic prowess of Maratha defence systems. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Delighted that 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' has been inscribed in @UNESCO #WorldHeritage list. Developed between the 17th & 19th centuries, the extraordinary fortification systems showcase the complexity and strategic prowess of Maratha defence systems as well as India's rich civilizational legacy." In a remarkable decision taken at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee, India's official nomination for 2024-25 cycle, 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' got inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India's 44th property to receive this recognition. This global accolade celebrates India's enduring cultural legacy, showcasing its diverse traditions of architectural brilliance, regional identity, and historical continuity, the Ministry of Culture said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, lauded the historic milestone and congratulated the people of India for this achievement. The proposal was sent to the consideration of World Heritage Committee in Jan 2024 and after a rigorous eighteen-month long process involving several technical meetings with the advisory bodies and visit of ICOMOS's mission to review the sites, this historic decision was taken by the members of the World Heritage Committee today evening at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. On Friday, Jaishankar offered warm wishes as Mongolia begins the celebrations of the Naadam Festival. In a post on X, he greeted his Mongolian counterpart and offered wishes to the Government and people of Mongolia. He expressed optimism in the India-Mongolia relationship spanning across areas such as economic cooperation, cultural and spiritual ties and hoped for them to continue flourishing. EAM wrote on X, "Warm greetings FM Battsetseg Batmunkh, the Government and people of Mongolia on 'Naadam Festival' celebrations. May our economic cooperation, cultural and spiritual ties continue to flourish and enrich our strategic partnership." Naadam is a national festival celebrated every year from July 11 to 13 across Mongolia that focuses on three traditional games: horse racing, wrestling and archery, as noted by UNESCO Intangible Heritage. UNESCO has recognised it as an intangible cultural heritage. UNESCO intangible heritage observed that the festival comprises oral traditions, performing arts, national cuisine, craftsmanship, and cultural forms such as long song, Khoomei overtone singing, Bie biyelgee dance and Morin khuur fiddle. Mongolians follow special rituals and practices during the festival, such as wearing unique costumes and using distinctive tools and sporting items. Festival participants revere the sportsmen, sportswomen, and children who compete, and winners are rewarded titles for their achievements.