Rajasthan Deputy CM Diya Kumari Pushes For Tech-Driven Heritage Conservation At UNESCO Event

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari on Sunday (21 July) said that conservation of the heritage site and use of modern technology including Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) is the way forward in management, conservation and promotion of the heritage sites.

She was speaking on the sidelines of the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee, hosted by India for the first time.

The event is being held from 21 to 31 July 2024 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

The Session was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on Sunday.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Audrey Azoulay, Director General, UNESCO and other senior officers from the UNESCO World Heritage Secretariat, along with other high-level dignitaries like culture ministers, ambassadors, and domain experts from various countries.

“The use of virtual tours, augmented reality and artificial intelligence in conservation technology is growing across the world and we are also trying to promote the use of technology in heritage conservation and increasing footfall of tourists to these sites," she said.

"In Rajasthan, we have a Rs 100 crore budget for the walled city of Jaipur - a UNESCO world heritage site, along with renovation and conservation of many other heritage assets including our age-old temples," the Rajasthan Deputy CM added.

India has 42 Properties in the World Heritage List which include 34 cultural, 7 natural, and one mixed heritage sites – Jaipur being one of them.

Moreover, India has 57 sites on the Tentative List of the World Heritage.

The 46th World Heritage Committee meeting is being organised by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), on behalf of Ministry of Culture.

The event is a significant step towards India’s ever-increasing stature in fostering global cooperation and ensuring the protection of our World Heritage properties, Diya Kumari said.

The World Heritage Committee comprises representatives from 21 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention (1972) elected by the General Assembly of UNESCO.