Nepal, UNESCO, World Bank and other partners to focus on heritage conservation, pilgrimage management and inclusive tourism
KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 17
The Government of Nepal, UNESCO, Lumbini Development Trust, Lumbini Buddhist University and the World Bank are set to bring together more than 150 national and international participants in Lumbini this week to develop a common framework for the sustainable management and development of the Greater Lumbini Area.
The International Conference on the Greater Lumbini Area, scheduled for September 18–20, will bring together government officials, Buddhist communities, heritage experts, tourism practitioners, development partners and representatives of local communities.
The three-day conference will focus on four interconnected areas: heritage conservation, visitor management, tourism infrastructure and services, and inclusive local economic development.
According to the joint press release issued on Wednesday, participants will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the Greater Lumbini Area through plenary sessions, technical presentations and lessons from other major heritage destinations around the world.
The conference is expected to conclude with a Conference Communiqué outlining priorities for heritage-sensitive visitor management, sustainable tourism and equitable benefit-sharing with local communities. Recommendations emerging from the conference are also expected to guide future government policies and development programmes in the area.
The outcomes will feed into government initiatives, including the Greater Lumbini Area Development (GLAD) Project, which is financed by the World Bank and aims to strengthen tourism infrastructure and services while creating local employment and economic opportunities.
The organisers said the conference would seek to translate discussions into practical measures for the long-term conservation of Lumbini, while addressing the challenge of managing increasing pilgrimage and tourism activity without compromising the archaeological and cultural significance of the site.
"Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds exceptional archaeological, historical, cultural, and spiritual significance," Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Khadak Raj Paudel "Ganess" said in the statement.
He said the government remained committed to the sustainable development, preservation and integrated management of Lumbini, while ensuring that the interests and needs of local communities are incorporated into planning and development.
UNESCO Representative to Nepal Jaco du Toit said Lumbini's Outstanding Universal Value was closely linked to the spiritual practices and communities that continue to give meaning to the site.
"Safeguarding the Greater Lumbini Area therefore requires an approach that protects its World Heritage values while supporting its spiritual value and living heritage," he said.
David Sislen, World Bank Division Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, said the conference would help align international expertise and partnerships behind a shared vision for safeguarding and sustainably managing the Greater Lumbini Area.
The GLAD Project, being implemented by the Government of Nepal with financial and technical support from the World Bank Group, is designed to improve tourism-related infrastructure and services and generate inclusive economic opportunities for communities in the wider Lumbini area.
The conference comes as Nepal seeks to balance the conservation of Lumbini's World Heritage status and spiritual significance with the development of tourism infrastructure and the economic needs of communities living around the pilgrimage destination.