An application to have the Bagan Archaeological Zone listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site will be made in September, according to the Ministry of Religion and Culture. If the application is submitted according to schedule, World Heritage Site Committee representatives could begin a survey of the site as early as 2018. The site could then be brought up for deliberation at the 2019 UNESCO World Heritage Site Convention.
In preparation for the bid, buffer zones around the archeological site have already been expanded, enlarging the area from 110 square kilometers to 160 square kilometers.
Bagan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site application was made in 1996, but failed due to a poor management plan and legal framework. Officials are confident that the new plan will rectify the past oversights.
A World Heritage Site is one recognized by the UN as having cultural, historical or scientific significance and is legally protected by international treaties. The listing would significantly aid in the long term perseveration and protection of the Bagan archeological zone as well as provide a further boost to the tourism of the site.
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