UNESCO’s Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage Award
Context:
Recently, the Byculla Railway station received the UNESCO award.
Main Highlights:
- The Byculla Railway station, an esteemed part of heritage, has undergone an extensive restoration, returning it to its original glorious state.
- The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, launched in partnership with the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation in 2021, have been instrumental in recognizing and celebrating significant preservation endeavors throughout the region.
- In a bid to continually improve and recognize outstanding contributions, UNESCO introduced a new category in 2020, namely the ‘Special Recognition for Sustainable Development.‘
- For over two decades, since 2000, the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation have been commending the private sector and public-private initiatives for their remarkable successes in conserving or restoring structures, places, and properties of significant heritage value across the region.
Byculla Railway Station:
- It is one of the oldest railway stations in India.
- It was built in 1853.
- It holds historical significance as the site where the first train of the country passed through, marking the beginning of India’s railway revolution.
- The ambience of the platforms gives a sense of traveling back in time, as it retains the grandeur and historical charm of the past.
- With nearly one-and-a-half centuries of history, it stands as an iconic landmark, offering a glimpse into the rich heritage of India’s railway system.
