Four Indian sites win UNESCO Cultural Heritage Conservation Awards

Four sites from India have been chosen for the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The awards were announced in Penang, Malaysia on 14 October 2019. This year marks the 20 years since the institution of awards.

Key Highlights

In this year’s awards, 16 projects from 5 countries namely– India, Bhutan, China, New Zealand and Australia have been recognized by international jury of conservation experts. The jury met in August 2019 to review 57 entries from 14 countries across Asia-Pacific region.

Among the four sites that have been chosen from India for 2019’s UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, three are in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The award has given a major recognition to Mumbai’s heritage conservation movement.

Three of chosen landmark of city are- Flora Fountain, Gloria Church at Byculla and Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue at Kala Godha.

List of Awards Category-

• Award of Distinction: Vikram Sarabhai Library, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. It is restored by architect Brinda Somaya
• Award of Merit: Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue (Mumbai), a Jewish Synagogue restored by Abha Narain Lambah and Our Lady of Glory Church (Mumbai) restored by David Cardoz and and Ainsley Lewis
• Honourable Mention: Flora Fountain (Mumbai). It is restored by conservation architect Vikas Dilwari and his team.
• Award of Excellence: historic Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts, Hong Kong.

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation

The award recognises the efforts made by private individuals as well as organizations that have successfully restored and conserved the structures, historic properties and buildings of heritage value in region.

Objective: To encourage other property owners to undertake conservation projects within their communities, either independently or by seeking public-private partnerships (PPP).

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2019