UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) encourages the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world.
Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.
The World Heritage List includes 878 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers to have outstanding universal value.
These include 679 cultural sites, 174 natural sites and 25 mixed sites properties in 145 States Parties.
Orissa’s UNESCO World Heritage Site:
Sun Temple, Konark declared in 1984.