UNESCO | Pakistan

Three historic cultural heritage sites from Sindh have been included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) tentative list.

ISLAMABAD: The first global assessment examining all Unesco-designated World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves, and Global Geoparks reveals that every 1ºC of global warming avoided could halve the number of sites exposed to major disruption by the end of the century, it emerged on Thursday. In its assessment, titled “People and nature in Unesco-designated sites: Global and local contributions”, Unesco said that by failing to act now, pressures will intensify and natural systems in more than one in four sites could reach critical tipping points by 2050, potentially undermining both ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. Scaling up integrated management, restoration, inclusive governance, and targeted policies, alongside increased investment, was termed essential to sustain and expand these proven approaches and strengthen their resilience, Unesco said. The report further stated that securing the future of Unesco-designated sites requires investment commensurate with their global signifi­cance. Ma...

• Complaint shared with Pakistan’s delegate in Paris highlights demolition, repair work at Mohra Moradu and Sirkap • DOAM official terms use of cement a serious violation of rules • Punjab archaeology dept rejects claims, says it restored ‘at risk’ sections ISLAMABAD: Following restoration work by the Punjab archaeology department at two World Heritage sites in Taxila, which has allegedly compromised their authenticity and integrity, the sites are at risk of being placed on Unesco’s ‘List of World Heritage in Danger’. According to Unesco, this list is designed to inform the international community of conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which a property was inscribed on the World Heritage List, and to encourage corrective action. The caution comes after a third party recently shared information and photos with Pakistan’s Permanent Delegate to Unesco in Paris regarding two such sites in Taxila. The concern highlights how interventions may affect the authenticity and integrity of the Gandhara ...

Pakistan is set to become the first South Asian nation to ratify the 2001 Unesco Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH), marking a significant step toward safeguarding its submerged maritime legacy, a statement from the Press Information Department (PID) said on Friday. In recent years, underwater cultural heritage has attracted increasing attention from both the scientific community and the general public. For scientists, it represents an invaluable source of information on ancient civilisations, maritime practices, human use of land and marine environments, and climate change, according to Unesco. The announcement was made by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry during a meeting with Unesco representative Dr Cristina Menegazzi in Islamabad today. The two sides discussed collaborative efforts to document, preserve, and promote Pakistan’s rich underwater archaeological resources. “Pakistan is set to become the first South Asian nation to ratify the 2...

President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the UN culture and education agency Unesco on Tuesday, repeating a move he had already ordered during his first term, which had been reversed under Joe Biden. The withdrawal from the Paris-based agency, which was founded after World War Two to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture, will take effect on December 31, 2026. “President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from Unesco — which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. The State Department said remaining in Unesco was not in the national interest, accusing it of having “a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy”. Unesco chief Audrey Azoulay said she deeply regretted Trump’s decision, but that it was “expected, and Unesco has prepar...