via BNI Multimedia, 06 June 2022: Mrauk-U was meant to be nominated this year, but inspections will only begin later this year and as the story shows, there are a number of outstanding issues.
If Mrauk-U is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, it will become the third World Heritage Site in Myanmar. The ancient Pyu cities — Halin, Beikthano and Sri Ksetra — were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2014, and Bagan was listed in 2019.
If Mrauk-U can earn UNESCO World Heritage recognition, it will better be able to systematically preserve its deteriorating archeological and cultural heritage, said Daw Ohmar Myo, unlocking international financial and technical assistance.
U Pauk Sa, who runs a bronze sculpture business in Mrauk-U, hopes that the ancient city will be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, saying such recognition would boost tourism across the board, including sculpting enterprises like his.
“At present, the [sculpting] industry only fulfils orders locally. International visitors are expected to arrive if Mrauk-U is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. If so, I think our business will be able to sell more widely,” he explained.
A decision on whether to add Mrauk-U to the World Heritage List will be made at a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris in mid-2023.
