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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan was elected vice-chair of the General Assembly of State Parties to&nbsp;<a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/pakistani-folk-instrument-added-to-unesco-intangible-cultural-heritage-list" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">UNESCO</a>&#39;s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan Embassy in France. In a post on Facebook, the embassy said Pakistan pledged to collaborate with member nations on efforts to protect and transmit living cultural expressions to coming generations.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2069519229838299427&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=b17aad47e43394809bb52d343896b4d1baa264c4&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2069519229838299427"></iframe></div></div>Pakistan has six UNESCO <a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/haiti-fort-stampede-kills-at-least-30-authorities" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Heritage Sites</a>, according to the Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO.&nbsp; They include the Archaeological Ruins at Mohenjodaro, Taxila, the Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol, the Fort and&nbsp;<a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/shalimar-gardens-where-water-marble-and-moonlight-tell-lahores-oldest-stories" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shalimar Gardens in Lahore</a>, the Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta, and Rohtas Fort. The country also maintains 26 properties on UNESCO&#39;s Tentative List for future World Heritage consideration, according to the organization. Preservation of World Heritage Sites is overseen by provincial governments under Pakistan&#39;s post-18th Amendment framework, while the federal National Heritage and Culture Division remains responsible for coordination with UNESCO and the issuance of excavation permits, according to official government documents. Day-to-day conservation and site protection are carried out by provincial archaeology authorities under the Antiquities Act of 1975 and related provincial laws, which provide penalties for&nbsp;unauthorized construction, vandalism and encroachment around protected sites, according to the National Heritage and Culture Division and the Department of Archaeology and Museums. Conservation work is funded through federal and provincial development programs. According to government planning documents, Punjab authorities have allocated funding for preservation projects at Taxila and Rohtas Fort, while the Taxila 2055 Archaeological Master Plan was developed to support long-term conservation through tourism-related revenues. Pakistan has also expanded efforts to protect heritage sites from climate-related risks. According to UNESCO, restoration work was carried out at the Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta, and the Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro following monsoon damage, alongside measures aimed at reducing future flood-related threats. Government agencies have also introduced digital inventories (Directorate General of Archaeology and Museums), three-dimensional mapping (Directorate General of Antiquities and Archaeology) and training programs (jointly executed by Federal National Heritage Fund and the Provincial Heritage Departments) for site managers as part of broader efforts to preserve cultural assets and improve heritage management.

Culture

Pakistan currently holds six World Heritage Sites and maintains 26 properties on UNESCO's consideration list.

Pakistan secures UNESCO Heritage leadership role in Paris

PORT-AU-PRINCE: A stampede at historical fortress in Haiti has killed at least 30 people, a government minister told AFP on Sunday, with the crush reportedly involving several young visitors. &quot;The Minister of Culture and Communication has confirmed the deaths of 30 people at the Citadelle Henri on Saturday, April 11, 2026,&quot; culture minister Emmanuel Menard told AFP in a written message. &quot;The injured are currently receiving the necessary medical care, and a rescue team is searching for any missing persons,&quot; Menard said, without giving an exact figure of those injured. Citadelle Henri, also known as Citadelle Laferriere, is a 19th-century fortress and popular tourist spot. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was closed to visitors &quot;until further notice,&quot; Menard said. Haiti&#39;s prime minister&#39;s office expressed &quot;deep sadness&quot; in a government statement posted on Facebook, adding that the crush occurred during &quot;a tourist activity bringing together many young people.&quot; Jean Henry Petit, head of the civil protection office in Northern Haiti, told local newspaper Le Nouvelliste that the toll could rise due to the large number of people reported missing. Several dozen people were also injured and taken to hospital, the outlet reported. Initial reports said visitors, mostly young people, were crammed against a single entrance and a scuffle broke out between those trying to leave and enter the site. Other local media reports said the gathering took place after being advertised on TikTok. AFP was not able to immediately confirm the reports. The government urged citizens to &quot;be calm and cautious&quot; while it investigates. &quot;All competent authorities are fully mobilized and placed on maximum alert to provide, without delay, the necessary assistance, care and support,&quot; it added in its statement.

A view of Citadelle Laferrière, a 200-year-old fortress built by King Henri-Christophe of Haiti, near Cap-Haïtien. (UN Media)

Americas

Haitian authorities say dozens died in a stampede at the historic Citadelle Henri, with many young visitors involved, as rescue teams search for missing and treat injured.

Articles tagged with "UNESCO World Heritage Site"

Pakistan secures UNESCO Heritage leadership role in Paris

Haiti fort stampede kills at least 30: Authorities

Pakistan secures UNESCO Heritage leadership role in Paris