SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC) organised the first SAARC Heritage Forum 2025 under the approved programme “SAARC Promoting Regional Art, Culture, Heritage Sites, Museums, and Archives”. This important regional initiative aims to bring together distinguished experts, professionals, and scholars in the field of Archaeology, Cultural Heritage and Museums to foster dialogue, share knowledge, and explore innovative approaches towards the preservation and promotion of South Asia’s rich cultural heritage and advance regional cooperation in safeguarding South Asia’s diverse cultural heritage. The SAARC Heritage Forum 2025 was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 30 September to 2 October 2025. The programme concluded with a cultural tour to Sri Lankan World Heritage sites on 3 October 2025.
Aligned with the broader SAARC mandate endorsed through the Delhi Resolution (2014) and the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu (2014), the Forum reinforced commitments to preserve cultural property, promote cultural exchange, and facilitate inclusive access to sacred and historical sites across member countries.
The Forum focused on two primary objectives:
1. Discuss the modalities to develop Cultural Trails linking significant Buddhist historical sites across the region and discuss proposals for its implementation.
2. Discuss principles/processes to facilitate access of persons visiting prominent and holy sites of Islam, Hindu, Christianity, and all other major religions in South Asia
Day 1: Inauguration
The opening ceremony, held at the Colombo National Museum, welcomed participants with an atmosphere of cultural unity and regional goodwill. Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, served as the Chief Guest. In her keynote remarks, she reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s strong commitment to the SAARC Agenda for Culture and described the Forum as a significant “call to action” for collective stewardship of the region’s shared heritage. She highlighted South Asia’s interconnected cultural identity shaped by Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Islamic, and Christian traditions and referenced prominent sites including Anuradhapura, the Taj Mahal, Shalimar Gardens, Kathmandu Valley, Bagerhat, and Paro Taktsang. Dr. Amarasuriya emphasized the importance of creating a SAARC Heritage List, complementing the UNESCO World Heritage List, and encouraged the development of cross-border pilgrimage routes and interfaith cultural networks. She stressed that heritage serves not only as memory but as a foundation for nurturing peace, diplomacy, and solidarity across South Asia.
The Guest of Honour, Prof. Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs, underlined the shared responsibility of safeguarding regional heritage and pledged Sri Lanka’s full support for meaningful outcomes.
The inaugural event was attended by Ambassadors and High Commissioners from SAARC Member States, representatives from UNESCO, ICOM, ICOMOS, senior academics, museum specialists, and students. Dr. Gamini Wijesuriya delivered the keynote address, and the discussion session was moderated by Emeritus Prof. Jagath Weerasinghe, creating an inclusive platform for expert discussion and exchange.
Day 2: Technical Sessions
Technical discussions were held on 1 October 2025 at the Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo, with participation from 13 heritage specialists from seven SAARC Member States, alongside government officials and international observers.
Two central themes were explored:
* Developing Buddhist Cultural Trails- Experts discussed mapping and documenting major Buddhist heritage sites, strengthening cross-border pilgrimage and cultural tourism networks, improving interpretation and site infrastructure, and supporting sustainable local development.
* Facilitating Access to Sacred Sites- Discussions examined regional protocols to enable easier pilgrim travel, harmonizing conservation and interpretation standards across countries, integrating intangible heritage such as rituals and festivals, and ensuring safe, inclusive visitor experiences.
These dialogues emphasized cross-institutional collaboration to ensure that sacred cultural heritage remains preserved, accessible, and meaningful to future generations.
Day 3: Recommendations & Future Directions
The final day was dedicated to developing long-term strategies to enhance heritage cooperation among SAARC nations. Delegates put forward key recommendations in four priority areas:
* Institutional Development: Annual hosting of the SAARC Heritage Forum and formation of a SAARC Cultural Heritage Committee (SCHC) to guide the SAARC Heritage List, regional mapping, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) guidelines, and coordination through national focal points.
* Capacity-Building: Establishing a Regional Centre for Heritage Conservation under SCC; facilitating exchange programmes and training for heritage professionals, museum practitioners, scholars, and tradition bearers; and offering technical workshops on conservation and museum management.
* Cross-Border Collaboration: Supporting transboundary nominations to the UNESCO World Heritage List and continuing concessional entry for SAARC nationals to member-state heritage sites and museums.
* Digital Development: Expanding the SAARC Heritage website to include digitised conservation resources and documentation of heritage linked to South Asian migrant communities.
The detail recommendations has been submitted to the SCC Governing Board for further review and approval.
Significance
The SAARC Heritage Forum 2025 reaffirmed the collective commitment of member states to protect and celebrate South Asia’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage. By strengthening Cultural Trails and improving access to sacred sites, the Forum encouraged knowledge-sharing, capacity development, institutional partnerships, and sustainable tourism. Ultimately, the Forum contributed to deepening public appreciation of South Asia’s shared cultural identity and reinforced regional solidarity in safeguarding heritage for future generations.
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