UNESCO will conduct a site inspection of Bagan throughout 2018. Photo: Staff
A draft plan including three out of six criteria needed to propose Bagan as one of the World Heritage sites will be submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in September, said U Thein Lwin, deputy director general of the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library.
“We are now drafting a proposal to attain the World Heritage status, which we will try to submit to UNESCO this September. We will have a response from them by January 2018 notifying us of what further data needs to be submitted. After providing the necessary data we can then proceed to a final nomination,” he said.
The draft proposal is now being drawn by two teams based on various suggestions. UNESCO will carry out a site inspection of Bagan throughout 2018, and the decision to list it as a World Heritage site will be made in 2019, he added.
“After putting up the proposal, we will meet with residents in Bagan and try to explain to them how it would be beneficial for them if Bagan becomes a World Heritage site. We have to make them understand the prestige gained by being listed as World Heritage status. We also have to explain to them the rules and regulations that all of us should abide by,” said U Thein Lwin.
Although Bagan was nominated to be listed as a World Heritage in 1996, the first attempt was not successful due to mismanagement and the fact that Bagan was not recognised as an ancient cultural zone at that time.
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“If Bagan gets enlisted as a World Heritage status, there would be more foreign visitors resulting in an increase in foreign earnings. But we need to ensure proper preparations are being made. We are seeking to attain a World Heritage status, but before doing it we need to make a thorough assessment. Or else we would be just wasting our time, if the submission is incomplete. I think it’s too early to put up a proposal,” said U Soe Lin, a resident from Nyaung-U.
The ancient city of Pyu became the first World Heritage site in Myanmar after UNESCO recognised it as one in 2014.
Among the six criteria required to become a UNESCO World Heritage status are whether residents in the area value the site or not, whether the site is famous worldwide, and whether the area is beneficial for the present and future generations.
Translation by Zar Zar Soe
Source : Myanmar Times
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