The Meghalaya government has missed the submission deadline for the nomination dossier to secure UNESCO World Heritage status for the renowned Living Root Bridges, known locally as Jingkieng Jri. Junhi Han, head of the Culture Unit at UNESCO’s New Delhi office, explained that the nomination process is extensive, typically requiring about 18 months to complete. She noted that the submission deadline to the World Heritage Centre in Paris is set for early February each year. “Since the 2025 deadline has already passed, the Meghalaya government will need to aim for February 2026 for its submission,” Han stated, mentioning that if the dossier is complete and meets UNESCO’s criteria, it will advance to the evaluation stage.
The final decision on whether the Living Root Bridges will gain World Heritage status will be made by the World Heritage Committee in 2027. To support this initiative, the Department of Art and Culture hosted a one-day workshop at the Heritage Club, Tripura Castle, to assist in preparing the nomination dossier titled “Jingkieng Jri: Living Root Bridges Cultural Landscapes.” This workshop saw attendance from notable figures, including Padma Shri Prof David Syiemlieh, Principal Secretary of Forest and Environment Sampath Kumar, and Principal Secretary of Art and Culture FR Kharkongor.
Currently, 131 Living Root Bridges have been documented, though experts believe many more are still undiscovered, hidden in challenging terrain. A UNESCO team is expected to visit the Living Root Bridges on Wednesday. Sampath Kumar highlighted that efforts to preserve these bridges began in 2018, with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma actively supporting the quest for UNESCO recognition. “After receiving political backing, we engaged experts for the documentation process,” Kumar added.
Over 100 community meetings were held to collect local knowledge about the bridges, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. FR Kharkongor mentioned that the Living Root Bridges span five administrative blocks in the East Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts, involving 73 villages. “We are optimistic about including our Living Root Bridges, or Jingkieng Jri, in the World Heritage list. This workshop is a crucial step towards that goal,” Kharkongor expressed, emphasizing the state government’s aspiration to have these bridges recognized as a World Heritage Site.
In September of the previous year, Art and Culture Minister Paul Lyngdoh led a delegation to Paris to advocate for the acknowledgment of these remarkable, bio-engineered structures. During their visit to the UNESCO Archives, the team delivered a comprehensive presentation to Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture, underlining the importance of the Living Root Bridges.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2025/05/28/govt-missed-feb-deadline-to-submit-nomination-dossier/
Category: MEGHALAYA
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-05-28 04:13:00
