The occasion's main objective is to spread awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage.
April 18 each year is observed as World Heritage Day all across the globe to spread awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage. The day is also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites.
The occasion is celebrated through various activities, such as visits to monuments and heritage sites, conferences, seminars, and more.
A theme is selected every year for the day to highlight a particular element of cultural heritage. The theme for 2023 is “Heritage Changes”. It emphasizes the issues of climate action and its relation to cultural heritage.
According to UNESCO, "Heritage is our legacy, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our natural and cultural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration."
The organization aimed to "promote awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage of humanity, their vulnerability and the efforts required for their protection and conservation".
It was approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983.
In each country, several schools, colleges, and universities organize events that focus on the need of preserving heritage sites.
Also, virtual conferences are organized to spread knowledge about cultural heritage.
"We have been the benefactors of our cultural heritage and the victims of our cultural narrowness." - Stanley Krippner
"People who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians." - George Lucas
