Cultural heritage? Oh right up our alley!

When it comes to conserving historical sites and heritage and making sure culture is preserved, India is right up there in the list of countries who knows what to do and how to do it! And United Nations acknowledges it as well and that too a second time in a row!

India has been elected for the next four years to the UN body for safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage of nations, groups and individuals.

In a vote this morning at UNESCO headquarters by the General Assembly of the States Party to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, India won the election by a resounding 135 votes out a total of 142 votes cast by member states who were present and voting, said an external affairs ministry statement recently. 

The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has 24 members who are elected for a term of four years.

The core functions of the committee are to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage (ICH), ensure respect for the intangible cultural heritage of nations, groups and individuals, as also to raise awareness at the local, national and international levels of the importance of the intangible cultural heritage.

This is the second time that India has been elected to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the earlier term being from 2006-2010 and as the news goes, big plans are on the cards.