Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for nominating Meghalaya’s iconic Living Root Bridges, locally known as Jingkieng Jri, for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
In a video statement, Sangma said that the Living Root Bridges have been officially forwarded by the Government of India as its nomination for UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition.
“Friends, as you are all aware, the Jingkieng Jri or Living Root Bridges have been sent as the official nomination of the Government of India for the UNESCO World Heritage Site. I take this opportunity to thank the Prime Minister and the Union Minister for Culture for considering our nomination,” the Chief Minister said.
The nomination dossier, titled “Jingkieng Jri / Lyu Chrai Cultural Landscape, Meghalaya,” was formally submitted in Paris by India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Vishal V. Sharma. The dossier was handed over to Lazare Assomo Eloundou, Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre.
The Living Root Bridges, found mainly in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, are a unique example of indigenous knowledge, sustainable engineering, and harmony between humans and nature. The UNESCO nomination is being seen as a major step towards global recognition of Meghalaya’s cultural and natural heritage.