Shillong: The UNESCO World Heritage status.
The iconic bio-engineered bridges are renowned for their unique cultural and ecological significance.
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Junhi Han, Chief of the Culture Unit at UNESCO’s New Delhi South Asia Regional Office, who attended a one-day workshop in Meghalaya on preparing the nomination dossier, explained that the process is rigorous and typically takes about 18 months.
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She noted that since the 2025 deadline has ed, the government will now have to aim for submission by February 2026. If the dossier meets UNESCO’s criteria, it will proceed to evaluation, with the final decision expected from the World Heritage Committee in 2027.
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The workshop, organized by the Department of Art and Culture at the Heritage Club, Tripura Castle, focused on guiding the preparation of the dossier titled “Jingkieng Jri: Living Root Bridges Cultural Landscapes.” Key attendees included Pa Shri Prof David Syiemlieh, Principal Secretary of Forest and Environment Sampath Kumar, and Principal Secretary of Art and Culture FR Kharkongor.
Currently, 131 Living Root Bridges have been documented, though experts believe many remain undiscovered due to difficult terrain. A UNESCO team is scheduled to visit the sites soon for further assessment.
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Sampath Kumar highlighted that preservation efforts began in 2018, with strong backing from Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to pursue UNESCO recognition. Over 100 community meetings have been held to document local knowledge and data, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FR Kharkongor said the bridges are spread across East Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts, covering five istrative blocks and 73 villages. He expressed optimism about their eventual inclusion on the World Heritage list, calling the workshop an important step forward.
Last September, Minister for Art and Culture Paul Lyngdoh led a delegation to Paris to promote the Living Root Bridges. The team presented to Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture, emphasizing the cultural and ecological importance of these unique structures.