Advocating celebration of the World Heritage Week on a grand scale, Minister of State for Information, Education and Culture Priya Sethi today said the Jammu and Kashmir is famous for its heritage sites and during the week special programs should be organised to spread awareness among masses about these sites.She said that during the weeklong celebrations special focus should be laid to involve children and younger generations so that they come to know about the rich heritage of our state.“During the week, we should showcase our rich heritage and architectural marvels and spread awareness about these sites and encourage people to join hands in their conservation,” she added.The Minister was speaking at a state level review meeting she chaired here in connection with the World Heritage Week Celebrations from November 19th to November 25th.
Inspector General Police, Jammu Danish Rana, Municipal Commissioner, Jammu Mandeep Kour, Secretary, Culture Hemant Sharma, Secretary Tourism Farooq Shah, Secretary, Director, Libraries Mukhtar-ul- Aziz, VC, JDA Mubarak Singh, Director, Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society Rohit Khajuria, Convener, INTACH Jammu Chapter S.M.Sahani and other senior officers from J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Education, Higher Education, Traffic, JDA,
Directing all Deputy Commissioners to organise events at the district level, the Minister said advisory has already been issued in this regard. She said special cleanliness drives, heritage walks and illumination of heritage sites should be organised by involving tourism, culture, education, urban development and other concerned departments.She also called upon the organisers to involve local MLAs, MLCs, public personalities, prominent members of civil society, leaders, educationists and other prominent public figures in the celebrations.She appealed all the sections of the society including pilgrims to participate and experience the rich cultural heritage of the state.
“Starting 19th Nov, the celebrations would begin by launching of the cleanliness drive at Heritage Complex Dewana Mandir and Heritage Complex Mubarak Mandi and similar celebrations would be held at Srinagar and Leh also,” she added.She said all the heritage buildings of the State including SPS Museum, Srinagar, Ranbir Library, Chamba Statue, Leh, Heritage Complex Dewana Mandir and Mubarak Mandi, Bhimagarh Garh Fort, Reasi, Poonch Fort, Amar Singh College, Srinagar, GGM Science College, Jammu and other such important heritage sites should be properly illuminated during the week.It was informed in the meeting that as part of the celebrations, display of manuscripts, heritage photos, exhibitions, antiquities, instruments and coins would be made at Army Headquarters, Mubarak Mandi, Jammu and rare books and paintings would be displayed at Ranbir Library and SPS Library, Srinagar.
As per schedule of celebrations, Heritage Awareness Programmes, Symposium, Slogan Writing Competition and Painting Competitions would be organised at various education institutions on 20th November. On 21st November Ethnic Food Presentation would be made at FCI, Bhagwati Nagar and from 22nd to 25th November, Cultural Programmes would be organised. On 22nd November Heran Dance, Geetru and Chajja would be presented at Bahu Fort, on 23rd November Chingaar, Gadgail would be presented at Bahu Fort besides on 23rd Nov Bhand Pathar would be organised at famous tourist destination of Pahalgam.A heritage walk would also be organised on 23rd November from Mubarak Mandi to Ranbir Higher Secondary School.On 24th November Phumniya, Bhagtiya would be organised at Bahu Fort and Traditional Fold Music event would be organised at Leh. On 25th November Bhand Theatre would be organised at Badam Wari, Srinagar and Natural Heritage walk would be held at Manda.The concluding function ‘Darpan-e- Riyasat’ would be held on 26th November at Jammu University.