News Excerpt:

Prime Minister inaugurated the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

Key Highlights of the event:

• PM highlighted India's commitment to blending development with heritage conservation, urging global cooperation and local community engagement in heritage preservation.
• The PM also noted the return of over 350 heritage items to India as a testament to global respect for history.
• He announced the nomination of northeast India's historic 'Charaideo Maidam' for UNESCO's World Heritage List, marking it as India's 43rd World Heritage Site and the first in northeast India to gain Cultural World Heritage status.
• Citing recent archaeological discoveries in Sinauli, Uttar Pradesh he emphasized the need for new, unbiased perspectives to understand India's rich history.
• He invited global participation in this renewed approach to heritage.
• The PM concluded by encouraging the use of heritage for global betterment, fostering human welfare, tourism, and job creation through the WHC meeting.

World Heritage Committee:

• The World Heritage Committee consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention elected by its General Assembly.
• The committee meets once a year, and this year it is the 46th session of WHC.
• At its first session in Paris ,1977 the Committee adopted its Rules of Procedure of the World Heritage Committee.

Role of the WHC:

• The Committee is responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties. 
• It has the final say on whether a property is inscribed on the World Heritage List. 
• It examines reports on the state of conservation of inscribed properties and asks States Parties to take action when properties are not being properly managed. 
• It also decides on the inscription or deletion of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger.