Why in news?

Assam's 'Moidams,' the mound burial system of the Ahom dynasty, will be considered for inclusion in the World Heritage Sites list at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee.

India will host this session for the first time from July 21 to 31 at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. Currently, 1,199 properties from 168 countries are on UNESCO's World Heritage list.

What’s in today’s article?

• UNESCO
• The World Heritage Committee
• World Heritage Sites
• Assam’s Moidams to be considered for World Heritage List

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

• It is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN), headquartered at the World Heritage Centre in Paris, France.
• It was founded in 1945 as the successor to the League of Nation's International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.
• It was established with an aim to promote world peace and security through international cooperation in five key program areas - Education; Natural sciences; Social or human sciences; Culture; Communication/information.
• UNESCO is a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.
  • Thus, UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the SDGs defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
• UNESCO's activities have expanded over the years.
  • It aids in the translation and dissemination of world literature, assists in the establishment and protection of World Heritage Sites of cultural and natural importance, works to bridge the global digital divide, etc.

The World Heritage Committee

• The World Heritage Committee, consisting of representatives from 21 States Parties elected by their General Assembly of UNESCO, meets once a year.
• The Committee is responsible for implementing the World Heritage Convention, determining the use of the World Heritage Fund, and allocating financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.
• It decides whether a property is inscribed on the World Heritage List, examines reports on the conservation of inscribed properties, and requests action from States Parties if properties are not properly managed.
• The Committee also decides on the addition or removal of properties from the List of World Heritage in Danger.

World Heritage Sites

• These sites have been designated as having “outstanding universal value” under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972.
  • The convention provides a framework for international cooperation in preserving and protecting cultural treasures and natural areas throughout the world.
• Categorisation of Sites – The sites are categorised in three types:
  • Cultural heritage sites – It includes historic buildings and town sites, important archaeological sites, and works of monumental sculpture or painting
  • Natural heritage sites – It includes those natural areas that have excellent ecological and evolutionary processes, endangered species etc.
  • Mixed heritage sites – It contain elements of both natural and cultural significance.
• India has 42 world heritage sites, including 34 cultural properties, 7 natural properties and 1 mixed site.
  • India ranks second in the Asia Pacific Region based on the numbers of the world heritage list.
  • India has 57 sites on the world heritage tentative list.
  • Italy has the maximum world sites at 59 followed by China (57), Germany (52), France (52) and Spain (50).

Assam’s Moidams to be considered for World Heritage List

• The 700-year-old mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty — the Moidams from Assam — will be considered for nomination on the World Heritage List during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in New Delhi.
• This is the first nomination from the northeastern state in the cultural category.
  • Assam already boasts of two world heritage sites in the natural category - Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park.

What are Moidams/Maidams?

• The Moidams (also Maidams) are the mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty (13th century-19th century).
• The mound-burial system of the royals of the Ahom dynasty in Assam’s Charaideo district can be likened to the royal tombs of ancient China and the Pyramids of the Egyptians Pharaohs.
  • The Ahom rule lasted for about 600 years until the British annexed Assam in 1826.
  • Charaideo, more than 400 km east of Guwahati, was the first capital of the Ahom dynasty founded by Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha in 1253.
• Previously, those of the deceased with their paraphernalia were buried.
• However, after the 18th century, the Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu method of cremation, entombing the cremated bones and ashes in a Moidam at Charaideo.
• The Moidams enshrine the mortal remains of Ahom royalty and are highly venerated.
• Although subject to vandalism by treasure seekers in early 20th CE, the group of Moidams in Choraideo has been systematically restored to safeguard its structural integrity.