In accordance with the provision of the UN Educaitonal, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Department of Archaeology (DoA) is preparing an inventory of the country’s historic monuments, temples and places of cultural and natural importance to be submitted for nomination in the World Heritage Site list by the first week of February 2008. The UNESCO provision stipulates that every country in every ten years should

recommend new places for their nomination in the list. UNESCO had earlier nominated Lumbini, Kathmandu Valley, Chitwan National Park and Sagarmatha National Park as the World Heritage Sites. The DoA, apart from identifying seven sites for their possible nomination in the list, has also sent circulars to all the 75 districts to submit the names of possible heritage sites in their areas.

However, the DoA, apart from doing its routine duty by submitting updates on archaeological

sites, should also give due attention to their preservation and timely renovation. It is because of the government’s inability to preserve these valuable monuments, many still in decrepit and unkown state, that some have also been written off as endangered. It should not be forgotten that heritage sites are one of the major attractions for the tourists coming to Nepal from all over the world. The government should do all it can to preserve these national treasures for posterity.