World Heritage Day 2024: History, Theme, Significance

World Heritage Day, also known as the International Monuments and Sites Day, is celebrated every year on April 18th. Established by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMS), this day aims to educate people about the importance of preserving their diverse cultural heritage for generations to come. People from all over the world celebrate their culture and heritage by embodying it via festivals, traditions and monuments. Therefore, the day aims to honour together the joint history and heritage of human civilisation. In this blog, we will explore the history, theme, and significance of World Heritage Day.

Name of the day	World Heritage Day
Observed on	April 18th
Reason	To preserve the joint history and cultural heritage of mankind.
Theme 2024	Heritage of Commemoration

History of World Heritage Day

• The International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) was established in 1982.
• It established the International Day for Monuments and Sites, which later came to be known as World Heritage Day.
• The principles of the organization were laid in the Venice Charter. The organization was built after the need to protect and value these locations.
• Many architects, engineers, civil engineers, geographers, archaeologists and artists are a part of this organization.
• Each year the organization strides to help and ensure that some of the most beautiful sites in the world and the importance of those cultural monuments remain preserved for the future generation.
• Since the foundation of the organization, it has expanded to include more than 10,000 members across 150 countries all over the world. 400 of these 10,000 members belong to various institutions, international scientific committees and national committees. They are working together to identify new sites and save all the important sites that need to be added to the watch list. 

Why do we Celebrate World Heritage Day?

World Heritage Day is celebrated every year to raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding World Heritage Sites for future generations. It presents the perfect opportunity to celebrate the richness of our heritage sites, which connect us to our past.

What is the Theme of World Heritage Day 2024?

The theme for World Heritage Day 2024 is “Heritage of Commemoration”. It highlights the importance of honouring and preserving our cultural heritage, traditions, customs, and sites.

Also Read: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Significance 

This day is celebrated to increase awareness about the importance of cultural heritage and diversity and the need to preserve it for future generations.

• Ancient monuments, buildings and heritage sites are a great source of revenue via tourism in India and are thus, considered to be an asset to the world
• It encourages a collective effort from all the communities of the world to preserve and protect these sites for many generations
• They are the physical artefacts and intangible attributes of society and are an inheritance and legacy of previous generations. 
• Some of the popular world heritage sites include the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu, the Pyramids of Giza and many more

How to Celebrate World Heritage Day?

The following are the ways to celebrate this day:

• On this day, various events happen all over the world including activities like conferences and visiting these heritage sites and monuments
• People should visit the nearby cultural heritage sites and learn about their histories 
• People should promote these sites on their social media handles and encourage other people to visit these sites
• People can also start social media communities to work together and preserve these heritage sites
• People can search the events that are held in honour of World Heritage Day and attend these events with their friends and family

Also Read: Landmarks of Indian Independence 

Interesting Facts about Indian Heritage Sites 

The following are some mind-blowing facts about Indian Heritage sites:

• The ‘Vijaya Temple’ in Hampi has 56 musical pillars that produce musical tones when struck with a thumb

• The floor of Mattacnherry Palace in Kerela is made up of egg white, buttermilk and jaggery
• The ‘Bhimbetak Caves’ exhibits the earliest traces of human life in the Indian subcontinent

• The Nanda Devi National Park houses the Nanda Devi Peak, the highest peak located entirely within India at 7816m

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National Tourism Day	World Music Day

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