Contents:
- UNESCO World Heritage list
- 25th Anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas
UNESCO World Heritage list
Focus: Facts for Prelims
Why in News?
Assam’s Charaideo Maidam was recently added to UNESCO World Heritage list.
- The Moidams at Charaideo showcase the glorious Ahom rule and culture, which places utmost reverence to ancestors.
What are UNESCO World Heritage Sites?
- UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as of distinctive cultural or physical importance which is considered of outstanding value to humanity.
- It may be a building, a city, a complex, a desert, a forest, an island, a lake, a monument, or a mountain.
- They have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy as they have a special cultural or physical significance and outstanding universal value to the humanity.
- Italy is home to the greatest number of World Heritage Sites.
- At present, India has 38 World Heritage Properties. All the sites under the Ministry are conserved as per ASI’s Conservation Policy and are in good shape.
More about selection and protection of World Heritage Sites
- The sites are judged to be important for the collective and preservative interests of humanity.
- To be selected, a WHS must be an already-classified landmark, unique in some respect as a geographically and historically identifiable place having special cultural or physical significance (such as an ancient ruin or historical structure, building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, mountain, or wilderness area).
- It may signify a remarkable accomplishment of humanity, and serve as evidence of our intellectual history on the planet.
- The sites are intended for practical conservation for posterity, which otherwise would be subject to risk from human or animal trespassing, unmonitored/uncontrolled/unrestricted access, or threat from local administrative negligence.
- The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Program administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 “states parties” that are elected by their General Assembly.
25th Anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas
Focus: GS-I History
Why in News?
India is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, cherishing the indomitable courage and valour displayed by the Indian Armed Forces during the Kargil War.
The extreme determination and commitment of our Armed Forces, for their extraordinary bravery leading to the resounding victory over the enemy despite the adverse weather conditions and difficult terrain of Kargil is highly commendable.
Background: History of the conflict
- After the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, there had been a long period with relatively few direct armed conflicts involving the military forces of the two neighbours.
- During the 1990s escalating tensions and conflict due to separatist activities in Kashmir, as well as the conducting of nuclear tests by both countries in 1998, led to an increasingly belligerent atmosphere.
- Both countries signed the Lahore Declaration in 1999 promising to provide a peaceful and bilateral solution to the Kashmir conflict.
- During the winter of 1998–1999, some elements of the Pakistani Armed Forces were covertly training and sending Pakistani troops and paramilitary forces, into territory on the Indian side of the line of control (LOC).
- Initially the Indian troops in the area assumed that the infiltrators were jihadis.
- Subsequent discovery of infiltration elsewhere along the LOC, along with the difference in tactics employed by the infiltrators, caused the Indian army to realize that the plan of attack was on a much bigger scale.
The Government of India responded with Operation Vijay, a mobilization of 200,000 Indian troops. The war came to an official end on July 26, 1999, thus marking it as Kargil Vijay Diwas.
