Red Fort, Sydney Opera inscribed on UNESCO's Heritage List

New Delhi, June 28 (UNI) The magnificent Red Fort in Delhi, built by Mughal King Shahjahan and marking the zenith of Mughal creativity, was among the four new cultural sites which were inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List today.

The other three cultural sites, which were inscribed on the World Heritage List are Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape (Japan), Parthian Fortresses of Nisa (Turkmenistan) and Sydney Opera House (Australia).

The decision to inscribe the four new sites was taken at a World Heritage Committee meeting in Christchurch (New Zealand) today.

Agra Fort, Ajanta caves, Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park in Gujarat, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Mumbai), Ellora Caves, Churches and Convents of Goa, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and Elephanta Caves are among the Indian sites, which have already been inscribed on the Heritage List.

The Red Fort Complex was built as the palace fort of Shahjahanabad -- the new capital of the 5th Mughal Emperor Shahjahan (1628-58). It gets its name from its massive enclosing walls of red sandstone.

The Complex comprises the private apartments and a row of pavilions connected by a continuous water channel, known as the Nahr-i-Behisht, or the Stream of Paradise.

The palace was designed as an imitation of paradise as described in the Koran; a couplet inscribed in the palace reads, 'If there be a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here'.

This year, the committee considered a total of 45 new sites -- 11 natural sites, 32 cultural sites and two mixed sites -- for inscription at its June 23-July 2 meeting.

Besides India, 38 other countries presented sites for inscription this year. These included Argentina, Australia, Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and Britain.

Included on the Danger List are sites which are threatened by a variety of problems such as natural disaster, pillaging, pollution, and poorly managed mass tourism.

As of now, UNESCO's 1972 Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage protects 830 properties of 'outstanding universal value', including 644 cultural, 162 natural and 24 mixed properties in 139 countries.

The Convention encourages international cooperation to safeguard the common heritage of humanity. With 184 member-countries, it is one of the most widely ratified international legal instruments.

The World Heritage Committee is responsible for the implementation of the 1972 Convention. It also examines reports on the state of conservation of the inscribed sites and asks States Parties to take measures when necessary.

UNI