Published On:Tuesday, 30 September 2014
Posted by Celebrate Life Style information Blog
Govt, Unesco to Study Bagan’s World Heritage List Nomination
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| Inside the shrine of Arnanda Temple in Bagan. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) |
Ministry of Culture officials said they are scheduled to meet with
Unesco officials and international archaeological experts in Bagan on
Oct 10-12 to discuss what studies are required to complete the World
Heritage List nomination for the Buddhist temple complex in central
Burma.
“The meeting will focus on how to designate ancient zones in line
with World Heritage site status criteria, and if local people are
compliant with Unesco rules and regulations,” said Thein Lwin, deputy
director-general of the Archaeological, National Museum and Library
Department at the Culture Ministry.
The Bagan Consultation Meeting is set to be held at the Bagan
Archaeological Museum and more than a dozen Unesco officials and
archeological experts from the United States, Australia, Japan, England
and Nepal will attend, he said.
Thein Lwin said that cultural heritage management, preservation
works, verification of outstanding universal value, and studying the
authenticity and integrity of Bagan pagodas will also be discussed.
Last month, Culture Ministry officials already held workshops in
cooperation with Unesco to compile historical maintenance records on
each of the more than 3,000 pagodas in Bagan, along with photos and
pictures of the buildings. Plans were also made to carry out
examinations of the conditions of art work and murals.
“It is a daunting task to survey the conditions of these ancient
pagodas. What techniques shall be used in conducting the surveys? We
have to make detailed list of the condition of every artistic work and
mural at the pagodas. So, it will take time,” said Thein Lwin.
In mid-June, Unesco accepted the first inscription of a Burmese
heritage site, the Pyu Ancient Cities, on the World Heritage List. It
began offering technical assistance at the Pyu sites in 2012. Shortly
after enlisting Pyu, it announced it would begin cooperation with
Burmese officials on studying the conditions of the Bagan temples and
developing guidelines on their conservation.
In March, President Thein Sein visited Bagan and ordered the Culture
Ministry to begin preparations for a nomination for a World Heritage
listing of the temple complex.
Thein Lwin said it would take at least three years to complete the
studies required for the World Heritage List nomination because of the
massive scale of the temple complex.
The Old Bagan City area covers about 26 square km (16 miles) and was
constructed from the 9th to the 11th century, a period when some 55
kings ruled the Bagan Dynasty.
The region is known to have been struck by earthquakes three times,
with a particularly heavy one in the 1970s doing extensive damage to the
pagodas, stupas and religious edifices.
In 1992, the then-military regime ordered a detailed survey and
restoration works on the pagodas, in many cases using methods that have
been criticized by international experts, who said little attention was
paid to historical accuracy and that damage was caused to the
structures’ historical value.
A subsequent 1996 bid by the regime to enlist the ancient city as a Unesco heritage site fell flat.
Also controversial, and problematic for the current Unesco World
Heritage listing, was the former regime’s decision to let crony
businessmen develop large hotels, restaurants and golf courses in the
archeological zone and close to the temples.
Currently, the expansion of such businesses and urban buildings for
the rapidly growing number of tourist visitors continues in the area,
underlining the need for the government and Unesco to develop zoning
guidelines.
“Bagan is a big challenge to us. We have to discuss and design a plan
to control and manage urban expansion with the help of scholars. There
are many problems. We have yet to do a lot work for Bagan to get Unesco
recognition, while also ensuring all parties concerned [hotel and
restaurant owners] are not affected,” said Thein Lwin.
During the Social Party-era of Gen. Ne Win, Sakura, Bagan, Than Te,
Thripyitsaya and Ayeya hotels were built in the archeological zone,
while some hotels built during the 1990s include Tharapa and Nan Myint.
Currently, Eden and Adventure hotel projects are under construction. [ IRRAWADDY ]
