Culture - Myanmar
As the only UN agency specifically mandated with the responsibility for promoting creativity and safeguarding the world’s diverse cultural and natural heritage, UNESCO Myanmar is assisting the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture to preserve and protect Myanmar’s rich and diverse culture.
To ensure that culture takes it rightful place in development strategies and processes in Myanmar, UNESCO has adopted a three-pronged approach: it supports advocacy for culture and development, engages with the national authorities to set clear policies, legal frameworks and technical standards to safeguard heritage, and encourages cultural pluralism by strengthening the understanding and protection of intangible heritages.
In recent years, the government of Myanmar has confirmed its engagement with the international processes of listing sites under the 1972 World Heritage Convention, and 14 sites are currently on the World Heritage Tentative List. With UNESCO’s technical support, in 2014 Pyu Ancient Cities became the first property in the country to be enlisted as a World Heritage Site. Local stakeholders have been closely consulted and involved in the process and heritage trusts have been set up in each ancient city to reinforce contributions by civil society in safeguarding and promoting the site. A comprehensive management system was also developed, with guidance from international expert and institutions. As for the Natural sites, Hkakaborazi Landscape, in Kachin State, is the priority area in which UNESCO works to guarantee the highest standards of conservation and management in order to achieve the goal of the nomination for the first natural site in Myanmar.
