With the generous support of Korea, UNESCO and Nepal's Department of Archaeology, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, in close cooperation with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, will organize a sub-regional workshop "South Asian Silk Roads Transboundary Serial Nomination and Cultural Landscape Initiative" on 6 and 7 December 2021 in Kathmandu.

The workshop builds on the discussions of three previous meetings in September 2014 (Kathmandu, Nepal) and September 2017 and November 2018 (both held in Xi'an, China). The workshop will bring together representatives from South Asian countries - Bhutan, China, India and Nepal­ - as well as national and international experts from International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and UNESCO to discuss potential transnational World Heritage nominations of the Silk Roads heritage corridors network in South Asia.

Building on lessons learnt, the workshop will contribute towards the holistic protection of heritage corridors network through South Asia and provide an opportunity for participating countries to raise awareness of the need to protect valuable cultural landscapes.

The main objectives of the workshop are to:

1. Develop a holistic approach to heritage routes through Nepal and South Asia through improved data, enhanced legal frameworks and management and conservation;

1. Reinforce the coordination among the representatives from the participating countries, ICOMOS, UNESCO as well as international experts;

1. Contribute to a better understanding of the heritage corridors and cultural landscapes in South Asia.

At the end of the workshop, the delegates are expected to agree on the way forward to contribute to this initiative.

Kathmandu, 3 December 2021

Press Release UNESCO/KAT 02/2021