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Kochi in the list of UNESCO's cities of living heritage

K.S. Sudhi

UNESCO-supported network to be launched at a conference in Jaipur

PRESERVING HISTORY: A view of the Jew Street at Mattanchery, one of the heritage tourism centres in Kochi. — Photo: H. Vibhu

KOCHI: Kochi city has been included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-supported network of Indian cities of living heritage.

The Indian Cities Network of Living Heritage will highlight the cities as a living cultural resource, preserve the uniqueness and diversity of the cultural heritage, promote heritage and creativity as the driving force of urban development and employment generation and balance socio-economic and cultural development, the mission statement said.

The network will be officially launched at the conference of the cities to be held on September 26 in Jaipur. The conference, supported by the Ministries of Urban Development and Tourism and Culture, aims to tackle safeguarding and development of historic cities. The French Association of Cities of Art and History and Conservation Areas and Jaipur Virasat Foundation are the partners of the event.

Kochi city has been invited by the organisers to be one of the founding partners of the initiative. The organisers have also invited Mayor Mercy Williams to represent Kochi at the meeting.

UNESCO will host the network for two years, serving as a facilitator to the pilot phase. Later, UNESCO will continue to patron the network and chip in with assistance when needed.

The network will serve as a platform linking the Indian cities wanting to make heritage conservation a positive part of their development. The Indian city members of the network will benefit from technical support through decentralised cooperation schemes between Indian and international partner cities of Europe, Latin America and other Asian countries, which will be brokered by UNESCO, said a communication from the UNESCO office in New Delhi.

Activities

A cultural knowledge databank of cities will be set up under the programme.

The creation of an electronic communication network linking member cities, through Internet facilitating partnerships and knowledge exchange, with other cities in India and abroad and public campaigns have been planned. Cities will be provided technical expertise in developing strategies for adopting existing State and municipal planning, legal and regulatory framework for heritage protection and conservation, and assistance in planning interventions for heritage based sustainable and balanced developments.

The network also plans to raise the awareness of exceptional variety of living heritage in Indian cities as well as the benefits and potentials of conservation.

Financial aid

The network will help the cities to tie-up project funds from Indian and international funding sources and promote micro-credit system.

Training programmes will be organised for members of the network on best practices in heritage-based sustainable and balanced urban development.

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