UNESCO expert committee seeks stronger community participation in Hampi conservation

Stressing that Hampi is a living community, the expert said local people must be active participants in conservation and must also benefit from tourism and heritage development.

Four days after the UNESCO experts committee visited the World Heritage Site, Hampi, the experts shared preliminary observations with the senior Tourism Department officials in Vidhana Soudha on October 28.

According to the officials, they have identified areas requiring continued attention, including stronger participation of local communities, enhanced institutional capacity for the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HWHAMA), continuity in heritage administration and systematic Heritage Impact Assessments for future development projects. A detailed UNESCO expert committee report is expected by mid-December.

UNESCO expert, George Abungu of Kenya described Hampi as an exceptionally significant World Heritage Site and expressed satisfaction with the physical condition of the monuments and the conservation efforts undertaken by the authorities.

He said, “The delegation had come as friends and partners not as investigators, to work with the state and national authorities in identifying strengths, challenges and the way forward.”

Stressing that Hampi is a living community, Prof. Abungu said local people must be active participants in conservation and must also benefit from tourism and heritage development.

Meanwhile, Ichida Shimoda of Japan, another UNESCO expert recommended strengthening HWHAMA with specialised manpower and adequate financial resources.

Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Uma Mahadevan who was present in this meeting, said, “Hampi’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) must be protected without compromise. At the same time, conservation must include the local community. Strong institutions, expert-led planning and administrative continuity are essential for sustainable heritage management.”