UNESCO announces new world heritage site in Sarnath

New Delhi: The Ancient Buddhist Site in Sarnath is now a world heritage site. UNESCO inscribed it on the list Saturday during the ongoing 48th session of the world heritage committee in Busan, Korea. With this inscription, India now has 45 World Heritage sites.Tim Curtis, director and representative, UNESCO regional office for south Asia, said: “On behalf of UNESCO, I warmly congratulate govt and the people of India on the inscription of the Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, on the World Heritage List. For more than 2,500 years, Sarnath has been a place of pilgrimage and inspiration for Buddhists around the world.

It is here that the Buddha delivered his first sermon, sharing teachings of compassion, wisdom and peace that continue to resonate today. Its temples, stupas, and monasteries bear witness to centuries of faith, devotion, and shared human heritage. Safeguarding this exceptional site is our collective responsibility for present and future generations.”Located in Varanasi, one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities, the property preserves the architectural and archaeological remains of Sarnath. According to sacred Buddhist texts, the Buddha traveled to Sarnath in the sixth century BCE after attaining enlightenment. It was here that he met his first disciples and delivered his first sermon, an event regarded as the beginning of the spread of Buddhist teachings.