We know how it works -- the Word Heritage Convention recognizes the most outstanding works of nature, culture and heritage and honors them as World Heritage Sites. These sites include works of beauty that have become steeped in history and deserve to be preserved for the sake of future generations. [break]
Today, Kathmandu Valley, Lumbini, Chitwan National Park and Sagrmatha National Park stand as proud symbols of our Nepali heritage in particular and world heritage in general. But undoubtedly there is so much more scope within Nepal -- fifteen properties are already on the Tentative List sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The next step however, should be for us Nepalis to focus on ensuring that more of our national treasures receive international recognition as World Heritage Sites. Being a World Heritage Site would bring two crucial things to the country: monetary support as well as immense prestige. And both these would be mutually reinforcing.
But to get to that point, we need to start taking serious initiatives that reflect our intentions. Although Nepal houses some of the most beautiful places, gloom dwells around the fact that they are hardly maintained. If we are to be able to maintain them, then it will not be long before more of our sites get included in this coveted list. Moreover, the UNESCO World Heritage Site website reports, “In general, the Committee adds about 25-30 sites per year to the list.”
So our efforts need to start now.
Firstly, we need to start charging a nominal yet satisfactory fee from the tourists. If we can charge a fee that might be of a significant amount to us, but only a nominal amount to the tourists, then we must not hesitate to charge a higher fee at some of our local attractions.
Illustration: Sworup Nhasiju
The way I see it and understand when I talk to people from the “richer” parts of the world, they often tell me that they don’t mind spending a little bit extra in countries like ours because their living standards are much higher than ours simply because they can afford to spend more. Besides, I would say we have amazing sites worth spending a reasonable buck on!
Secondly, we need to promote new locations as sites we want to have included in the World Heritage Sites. This may be done through the media, or awareness campaigns, the tourism industry. Of course, the effort to be made is endless.
And in the endeavor to protect our national sites, if we can get the support from the international community, then it will be a much easier challenge. For example, “the World Heritage Committee, in the early 1990s, questioned the findings of the environmental impact assessment of the proposed Rapti River Diversion Project. The Asian Development Bank and the Government of Nepal revised the assessment and found that the River Diversion project would threaten riparian habitats critical to the rhino inside the Chitwan National Park. The project was thus abandoned and this World Heritage site was saved for the benefit of future generations,” reads one of the success stories from the World Heritage link. So we cannot ignore the importance of a collaborative effort.
Moreover, part of the reason why I feel that Nepal should opt for this path to contribute to the development is simply because of the fact that we have such resources that we can boast of to the outside world and hold our head high. The birthplace of Gautam Buddha and Sita, home of Sagarmatha, one of the most exotic countries, Nepal is a place of such uniqueness -- we have more locations that deserve to be on that list for international appreciation! So I say it is an effort worth investing in.
The writer is student of Political Science at Thammasat University who enjoys exploring life and all that it has to offer.
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