Nepal eyes World Heritage status for Tilaurakot by 2025

LUMBINI: Nepal is formally nominating Kapilvastu, the ancient Shakya kingdom, for World Heritage Site designation to UNESCO by September 30.

A meeting of the Steering Committee, tasked with coordinating with various government and international agencies for the nomination process, held in Lumbini on Tuesday took the decision.

The meeting, chaired by the Vice Chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust and the coordinator of the Steering Committee, Dr Lharkyal Lama, decided to submit the strategic nomination document prepared by international heritage expert Dr. Duncan Marshal to UNESCO.

Senior Director of LDT Gyanin Rai explained that the nomination document would be forwarded to the World Heritage Center through the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation by the end of September. “The Steering Committee has decided to complete all necessary processes required by the World Heritage Convention for the designation of Tilaurakot as a World Heritage site by 2025,” he added.

LDT has gathered sufficient evidence for the designation of Tilaurakot as a World Heritage site by excavating the Tilaurakot Palace area under the leadership of Professor Robin Cunningham of Durham University, with funding from UNESCO’s Japanese Funds-in-Trust Initiative.

Vice Chairman Dr Lama said in the meeting that LDT would provide all possible support and cooperation for the designation of Tilaurakot as a World Heritage site.

According to LDT officials, national and international experts have confirmed that artifacts recovered during the excavation of the Tilaurakot area belonged to the ancient Tilaurakot Palace, where Siddhartha Gautam spent 29 years of his life.

The meeting also decided to organize various programs to lobby for the listing of Tilaurakot as a World Heritage site. Nepal extensively promoted Tilaurakot and the Kapilvastu region during the 45th meeting of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from September 10 to 25. A team led by Tourism Secretary Bharat Mani Subedi promoted Tilaurakot in the presence of ambassadors and high-level officials from the UK, India, Pakistan, Japan, Korea, Australia, Jordan, and Malaysia as well as UNESCO Deputy Director Jyoti Hosagrahar and UNESCO Asia Pacific Himalchuli Gurung.

During the event, Professor Cunningham made a two-hour presentation on Kapilvastu and the ancient kingdom of Tilaurakot.

The heritage meeting in Riyadh was attended by Director General of the Department of Archeology Saubhagya Pradhananga, Head of World Heritage Branch Ramesh Paudel, International Expert Professor Robin Cunningham, Senior Director of LDT Gyanin Rai, and Senior Archeological Officer Himal Kumar Upreti.