Conference brings together scholars to discuss strategies of safeguarding unprotected Buddhist sites

New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) The International Conference on the Preservation of Rural Buddhist Heritage opened here on Friday by laying the groundwork for a proposed academy for conservation and development of Buddhist heritage with the long-term goal of safeguarding India's unprotected rural Buddhist sites.
    The India Trust for Rural Heritage and Development (ITRHD) inaugurated the three-day conference at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in the presence of former MP Karan Singh, former principal secretary to the Prime Minister and ITRHD chairman S K Misra, and Buddhist scholar Shantum Seth.
    The conference brought together leading scholars, conservation experts, policymakers, practitioners, international institutions and monastic representatives to collectively address the challenges and opportunities related to conserving "India's vast but largely unprotected rural Buddhist heritage".
    Misra announced that five acres of land in Andhra Pradesh's Nagarjunakonda have been allotted for a new academy dedicated to Buddhist heritage.
    "The academy will train administrators, scholars, conservators, skilled workers, and local communities, pioneering methods that blend traditional knowledge with contemporary practices to safeguard unprotected heritage," he said.
    Abhijit Halder, Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), underscored the communal aspect of conservation.
    “Buddha's teachings remind us that conservation is everyone's duty, and when communities thrive, monuments and monasteries breathe. Preserving rural Buddhist heritage is not just about structures, but also the people, traditions, and ecosystems that sustain them," Halder said.
    Sessions held on the inaugural day explored rural heritage conservation and global perspectives, contributing to a multidisciplinary roadmap for the academy's curriculum, pedagogical structure, and long-term strategy.
    On day two, the conference will see sessions on developing knowledge of Buddhist architectural culture and its conservation, living Buddhist heritage in Nepal, exploring synergies between contemporary communities and Buddhist legacies, intangible heritage and community museums, international initiatives for the conservation of Buddhist heritage, and transmission of sacred knowledge systems and built heritage in India and East Asia.
    The conference will come to an end on November 30 with discussions on varied topics, including innovation in education for heritage management, development challenges in rural areas, and academic perspective on consciousness for rural development.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)