A country’s future is shaped by its present, and the present is a result of its past. However, some heritages exist for generations, and add value to the present and future, as it did to the past.
The International Day for Monuments and Sites, also celebrated as the World Heritage Day, fell on yesterday (18 April). It was declared by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1982, and this year’s theme is “Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures”.
Sri Lanka is a country gifted with many heritage sites, which are of environmental, historical, and artistic values, and some of them have been declared by UNESCO as world heritage sites. Among the cultural heritages are the ancient cities of Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya, sacred cities of Anuradhapura and Kandy, Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple, and the old town of Galle and its fortifications. The Central Highlands and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve fall under natural heritage sites. Even though these sites include only a handful of the country’s invaluable heritage sites, they represent the most iconic ones which display the country’s history and culture. However, unfortunately, some of them such as the Sinharaja Forest Reserve became a topic of discussion in the recent past; not due to their significance, but due to the threats they face.
On this World Heritage Day, let us remind ourselves that we all have a responsibility to protect the country’s heritage sites.
The responsibility of protecting the country’s heritages lies with not only the authorities, but also the public. While the authorities’ role involves more policy and legal level aspects, which are of extreme importance when it comes to identifying heritage sites and promulgating the laws to protect them, the public have a protective role which is not confined to laws and policies. In recent memory, Sri Lanka witnessed not one but many incidents that emphasised that the country should re-look at the role of the public and authorities, as one party without the other can make little change.
When it comes to Sri Lanka’s current situation concerning cultural heritages, which include archaeological sites of diverse cultures, it is apparent that the country needs stronger policies and laws, and also a strong mechanism to properly identify what heritages should be protected. In fact, Sri Lanka is home to a number of disputed archaeological sites spread all over the country. The recent debates over the newly-identified archaeological sites in the North and East are a good example that emphasises the fact that the failure or prolonged delay in properly identifying heritage sites can cause major, irreversible damage. Such incidents not only reignite the ethnic rifts between the North and East-based communities and the South-based communities and the authorities, but also pose a severe threat to those cultural heritages. Essentially, the more time the authorities take to properly identify and protect these sites, the more damage these sites face.
Moreover, to a certain extent, the public’s responsibility depends on the authorities actions. Even though officially declaring important sites as heritage sites is a start and creates an environment for the law enforcement agencies to implement the law to protect those sites, that is merely the most rudimentary step. In order to encourage the public to understand and fulfill their responsibilities, the authorities have to raise awareness among the public about the importance of protecting these heritage sites. What happens when there are laws and policies but no awareness as to why they exist? The answer is obvious when we look at the heritage sites such as Sigiriya, which, despite having been protected by laws and policies, has faced vandalism on numerous occasions.
One of the most important facts that should not be forgotten is that heritage sites can hardly be recreated once they are damaged, and therefore, protecting them should be the priority. While the authorities have a responsibility to enforce the laws to protect them from vandals, the public has a responsibility to refrain from becoming vandals.
After all, there is absolutely no dignity in destroying something that is important to an entire nation, and in some cases, the entire world. Passing this message to the next generation by action is the best way to protect the country’s identity.
Treasuring ancient treasures
19 Apr 2021
Treasuring ancient treasures
19 Apr 2021
A country’s future is shaped by its present, and the present is a result of its past. However, some heritages exist for generations, and add value to the present and future, as it did to the past.
The International Day for Monuments and Sites, also celebrated as the World Heritage Day, fell on yesterday (18 April). It was declared by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1982, and this year’s theme is “Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures”.
Sri Lanka is a country gifted with many heritage sites, which are of environmental, historical, and artistic values, and some of them have been declared by UNESCO as world heritage sites. Among the cultural heritages are the ancient cities of Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya, sacred cities of Anuradhapura and Kandy, Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple, and the old town of Galle and its fortifications. The Central Highlands and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve fall under natural heritage sites. Even though these sites include only a handful of the country’s invaluable heritage sites, they represent the most iconic ones which display the country’s history and culture. However, unfortunately, some of them such as the Sinharaja Forest Reserve became a topic of discussion in the recent past; not due to their significance, but due to the threats they face.
On this World Heritage Day, let us remind ourselves that we all have a responsibility to protect the country’s heritage sites.
The responsibility of protecting the country’s heritages lies with not only the authorities, but also the public. While the authorities’ role involves more policy and legal level aspects, which are of extreme importance when it comes to identifying heritage sites and promulgating the laws to protect them, the public have a protective role which is not confined to laws and policies. In recent memory, Sri Lanka witnessed not one but many incidents that emphasised that the country should re-look at the role of the public and authorities, as one party without the other can make little change.
When it comes to Sri Lanka’s current situation concerning cultural heritages, which include archaeological sites of diverse cultures, it is apparent that the country needs stronger policies and laws, and also a strong mechanism to properly identify what heritages should be protected. In fact, Sri Lanka is home to a number of disputed archaeological sites spread all over the country. The recent debates over the newly-identified archaeological sites in the North and East are a good example that emphasises the fact that the failure or prolonged delay in properly identifying heritage sites can cause major, irreversible damage. Such incidents not only reignite the ethnic rifts between the North and East-based communities and the South-based communities and the authorities, but also pose a severe threat to those cultural heritages. Essentially, the more time the authorities take to properly identify and protect these sites, the more damage these sites face.
Moreover, to a certain extent, the public’s responsibility depends on the authorities actions. Even though officially declaring important sites as heritage sites is a start and creates an environment for the law enforcement agencies to implement the law to protect those sites, that is merely the most rudimentary step. In order to encourage the public to understand and fulfill their responsibilities, the authorities have to raise awareness among the public about the importance of protecting these heritage sites. What happens when there are laws and policies but no awareness as to why they exist? The answer is obvious when we look at the heritage sites such as Sigiriya, which, despite having been protected by laws and policies, has faced vandalism on numerous occasions.
One of the most important facts that should not be forgotten is that heritage sites can hardly be recreated once they are damaged, and therefore, protecting them should be the priority. While the authorities have a responsibility to enforce the laws to protect them from vandals, the public has a responsibility to refrain from becoming vandals.
After all, there is absolutely no dignity in destroying something that is important to an entire nation, and in some cases, the entire world. Passing this message to the next generation by action is the best way to protect the country’s identity.
Kapruka
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!