Latest news with #WorldHeritageList
News18
12 hours ago
- Science
- News18
Where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Navy And Science Converged: Vijaydurg Fort Earns UNESCO Honour
Vijaydurg is recognised not only as an ancient sea fortress but also as the site where helium was discovered Maharashtra's Vijaydurg Fort, a symbol of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's naval prowess, has gained new global attention. It is recognised not only as an ancient sea fortress but also as the site where helium was discovered—a legacy now proudly on UNESCO's World Heritage List. At the recent 47th World Heritage Committee session in Paris, Vijaydurg joined twelve other Indian forts acknowledged for their historical and scientific importance. Situated at the mouth of the Vaghotan River in Sindhudurg district, Vijaydurg's significance extends beyond its formidable triple-layered sea walls and bastions. While many forts highlight royal battles and architectural brilliance, Vijaydurg holds a unique place in scientific history. Historians note that during the total solar eclipse of 1898, French astronomers Pierre Janssen and Joseph Norman Lockyer set up camp at this coastal fort, considering it the closest point on Earth to the Sun during the eclipse. Using spectroscopes, they observed the Sun's atmosphere from specially constructed telescope platforms within the fort. Their efforts led to the discovery of helium, now the second-most abundant element in the universe. Hirlekar further commented, 'Vijaydurg Fort is not just a marvel of military architecture but a living testament to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's visionary leadership, maritime foresight, and scientific legacy. Its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List is a matter of pride for Maharashtra and an acknowledgement of India's glorious and enduring heritage on the global stage." Beyond its scientific significance, Vijaydurg Fort remains a stunning example of Shivaji Maharaj's foresight in coastal defence. With its triple-layered fortifications, 27 bastions, and ingenious sea-facing walls, it stands as a tribute to India's maritime legacy. Its hidden underwater sea wall, which once sank enemy ships, continues to intrigue historians and divers alike. The addition of Vijaydurg to the UNESCO World Heritage list is a moment of immense pride for the people of Sindhudurg and Maharashtra. It is a reminder that some places do not only guard history—they quietly give birth to discoveries that change our understanding of the universe. view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 02:16 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Key dates in the US and UNESCO's on-again, off-again relationship
UNESCO logo and U.S. flag are seen in this illustration taken April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Once again, the U.S. has said it will pull out of the United Nations culture and education agency UNESCO, with U.S. President Donald Trump repeating a move from his first term in office that his successor, Joe Biden, had reversed. Here are some important dates in the sometimes tumultuous relationship between the U.S. and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: * November 16, 1945: UNESCO's founding treaty is signed and its constitution is adopted in London, saying it intends to advance "international peace" and "the common welfare of mankind." * September 30, 1946: The U.S. ratifies the UNESCO treaty, becoming one of its founding member states. * June 1977: Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat Singapore Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 can claim $600 SG60 vouchers from July 22 Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport in latest ranking Singapore Singapore, Vietnam agree to step up defence ties, dialogue between leaders Asia Malaysia govt's reform pledge tested as DAP chief bows over unresolved 2009 death of political aide Tech Singapore to increase pool of early adopters in AI to complement data scientists, engineers Singapore Prosecution says judge who acquitted duo of bribing ex-LTA official had copied defence arguments Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving The Fund for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Outstanding Universal Value, also called the World Heritage Fund, is established under UNESCO. It provides millions of dollars to support conservation programs at UNESCO-designated sites. * October 1979: The first 45 sites are inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, including three from the U.S.: the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Florida's Everglades National Park and Independence Hall in Philadelphia. * December 30, 1983: U.S. President Ronald Reagan's administration announces that the U.S. is withdrawing from UNESCO, effective December 1984, saying it had become "politicized," financially mismanaged, unduly focused on weapons disarmament during the Cold War and hostile to free markets and a free press. * October 1984: The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor and California's Yosemite National Park are inscribed on the World Heritage List. * 1985–2003: Despite the U.S. withdrawal, UNESCO continues to add U.S. sites and cultural heritages to the World Heritage List, including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; Thomas Jefferson's home Monticello in Virginia and the Chaco Culture of the Pueblo people who occupied what is now a large region in the U.S. Southwest. * April 1994: U.S. Congress passes a law that blocks U.S. financing for any U.N. agency that accepts the State of Palestine as a full member. * September 12, 2002: U.S. President George W. Bush announces in a speech to the UN General Assembly that the U.S. will rejoin UNESCO, citing leadership reforms in recent years as he sought to build international support for the Iraq War. It does so formally the following year. * October 31, 2011: UNESCO accepts Palestine as its 195th full member, despite the risk of losing U.S. funds, which at the time reportedly accounted for about 22% of UNESCO's budget. U.S. President Barack Obama's administration, which had unsuccessfully sought to get Congress to relax the 1994 financing law in the runup to the vote on Palestinian membership, ends U.S. funding. * October 12, 2017: Trump's administration announces the U.S. will once again leave UNESCO, this time for what it called "anti-Israel bias." The U.S. became a non-member observer. * June 2023: Biden's administration announces it will rejoin UNESCO, saying the agency had "modernized its management and reduced political tensions." * July 22, 2025: Trump's administration announces the U.S. again will leave UNESCO for the third time, because of his government's belief that it "supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes." REUTERS
Axios
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
What to know about UNESCO, the UN organization Trump is pulling the U.S. from
President Trump 's decision to withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is not a surprise — but it marks yet another drop in Washington's roller-coaster relationship with the agency. The big picture: The move mirrors the president's first term, when the U.S. departed UNESCO over alleged anti-Israel bias, and deepens the administration's broader retreat from multilateral bodies deemed hostile or ineffective. Trump has also ordered withdrawals from other international organizations, such as the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council. Driving the news: Just around two years after the U.S. rejoined the organization under former President Biden, the Trump administration will again depart from the agency. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement that the organization "supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November." Trump in February ordered a 90-day review of the country's participation in UNESCO to evaluate "how and if UNESCO supports United States interests" and "any anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization." State of play: The withdrawal will take effect on December 31, 2026, per the State Department. Here's what to know about the organization and its history with the U.S.: Why was UNESCO created? Flashback: The agency, per its website, was formed in the wake of World War II and is dedicated to "strengthening our shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture, and communication." Its Constitution opens with the words, "That since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed." The U.S. joined UNESCO at its founding, per an archived State Department page, with the first American member of UNESCO's governing board writing the aforementioned preamble. Who is part of UNESCO? By the numbers: The organization's website states that it currently has over 190 members and a dozen associate members. Israel, which formally departed UNESCO in 2019, is listed as a "Non-member." What does UNESCO do? The organization's work touches a wide variety of causes, from safeguarding biodiversity and heritage to advancing education access. Zoom in: One of its most prominent projects is the World Heritage List, which includes more than 1,200 properties deemed by the World Heritage Committee to have "outstanding universal value." Countries that adhere to the World Heritage Convention agree to identify and nominate properties on their territory to be considered for the list and provide details about its protection and upkeep. It also keeps lists of "intangible cultural heritage" that include things like "Equestrian art in Portugal" and "Artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread." The latest: Earlier this month, the committee inscribed 26 new cultural and natural properties on the list, including palaces, tombs, caves and rainforests. Three sites were removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger, which UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay described as a "great victory for all." Zoom out: Education is also paramount to UNESCO's mission. Per its website, the organization is the "only United Nations agency with a mandate to cover all aspects of education." The organization says it "actively helped to frame" the Education 2030 agenda for quality education access as part of the broader Sustainable Development Goals. What is the history of U.S. participation in UNESCO? While the U.S. accepted the body's Constitution some eight decades ago, the relations between Washington and the organization have been rocky across some five decades. In the 1970s, Congress suspended UNESCO appropriations after the organization excluded Israel from a regional group, saying it had altered Jerusalem's historical features. Under the Reagan administration, the U.S. departed from UNESCO, which Washington accused of mismanagement and of politicizing issues. It rejoined under former President George W. Bush. In 2011, Washington stopped financing UNESCO after it voted to admit Palestine as a full member. That resulted in the U.S. owing the organization hundreds of millions in arrears. In 2017, the Trump administration announced its intent to withdraw from the organization, citing anti-Israel bias. Under the Biden administration, the due to concerns of rising Chinese influence.
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Ashoka pillars, Bihar's Lauriya Nandangarh town on Unesco's tentative list
The Ashoka pillars of Rampurva and Lauriya Nandangarh in Bihar are part of a cluster of ancient properties which find a mention on the Tentative List of UNESCO for India under the title 'Serial Nomination for Ashokan Edict Sites along the Mauryan Routes', the government informed Parliament on Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said this in a written response to a query in the Lok Tentative List is an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination, according to Paris-based UNESCO. Shekhawat was asked whether it is a fact that two Ashoka pillars in West Champaran in Bihar have been 'included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO'.'No, Sir. The Ashokan pillars of Rampurva and Lauriya Nandangarh in West Champaran have not yet been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. However, these two pillar edicts have been included in the Tentative List of UNESCO under the title 'Serial Nomination for Ashokan Edict Sites along the Mauryan Routes',' he pillars are protected and conserved from time to time, as required by the Archaeological Survey of India and are in a 'good state of conservation and preservation', Shekhawat serial nomination on India's tentative list spans states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, and Delhi, according to the UNESCO was submitted by the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO in February to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre's tentative list is mandatory if a property is to be nominated for inscription to the World Heritage List in future.A set of six properties -- including some considered serially, such as Ashokan Edict Sites and Chausath Yogini Temples spread across multiple states -- have been added to India's tentative list by the World Heritage Centre, the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO had said in a statement in Union minster was also asked whether the government proposes to build a museum in the Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha constituency to keep these pillars safe at one place.'At present, there is no proposal to develop a museum at the site,' he added.- Ends
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Sligo's bid for UNESCO World Heritage underway with first formal nomination meeting
Chaired by Martin Lydon, Chief Executive of Sligo County Council, the Nomination Team convened to progress Ireland's bid to inscribe 'The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo' on the World Heritage List. Following a site visit to Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, the first official Nomination Team meeting was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Rosses Point, Sligo. The meeting brought together a cross-sectoral team of national and local stakeholders, including representation from the National Monuments Service, the Office of Public Works, Sligo County Council, Coillte, NPWS, Sligo Leader, Fáilte Ireland, Sligo Neolithic Landscapes group and the Farming Pillar. The Nomination Team will guide the preparation of a Nomination dossier and management plan for 'The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo'. The bid aims to achieve global recognition for one of Europe's most significant prehistoric landscapes. The World Heritage bid is led by Sligo County Council in partnership with the National Monuments Service (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) and the Office of Public Works, and a Memorandum of Understanding to progress the World Heritage bid has been signed by the parties. Sligo County Council will act as Lead Proponent for the World Heritage bid. In November 2024, Sligo County Council appointed Robert Hensey to the role of Project Coordinator for The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo World Heritage Tentative List Site. The World Heritage Site Nomination process, which will continue until 2030, will be guided by the recently appointed Dr. Carol Westrik, an experienced World Heritage expert from the Netherlands. The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo was officially placed on Ireland's World Heritage Tentative List in July 2022, an essential first step towards World Heritage inscription. From this point, work begins to secure local stakeholder engagement and support for the bid as well as preparing a preliminary assessment request, Nomination dossier and management plan for the site. Dating back over 5,000 years, the Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo includes renowned sites such as Carrowmore, Carrowkeel, and Knocknarea. It is a landscape of extraordinary international importance, and the Nomination process offers an opportunity not just to secure UNESCO status, but to deepen our understanding and protection of these unique prehistoric sites, in partnership with local communities. The bid is an opportunity to ensure the protection of Sligo's remarkable and unique passage tomb landscape for future generations, with the support of landowners, the local community and the wider public. It is also about new opportunities, and heritage-led economic and social regeneration. UNESCO places great importance on the voice and support of landowners and local communities in shaping the Nomination bid. It is, at heart, a community-led, process. Public engagement will be a cornerstone of the Nomination bid, ensuring that key stakeholders and the community are actively involved throughout the Nomination journey. Over the next five years, Sligo County Council will engage with the whole community to see how together we can best protect, manage and celebrate this extraordinary Neolithic inheritance. If successful, the Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo would join Ireland's existing World Heritage Sites – Brú na Bóinne and Sceilg Mhichíl – further highlighting Ireland's exceptional archaeological and cultural legacy on the world stage. For more information please contact: Robert Hensey, Sligo County Council. Project Coordinator for The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo World Heritage Tentative List Site. rhensey@
