The Department of Arts and Culture, Government of Meghalaya, in collaboration with UNESCO and INTACH organized a ground-breaking workshop on the preparation of the World Heritage Nomination Dossier for Jingkieng Jri – the Living Root Bridges Cultural Landscapes.

The workshop, held from 27–29 May 2025, commenced with an inaugural session graced by Padma Shri Dr. David R. Syiemlieh, Former Chairman, UPSC, as the Chief Guest. Also present were Shri P. Sampath Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Forests & Environment Department and CEO, MBMA; Shri F. R. Kharkongor, IAS, Principal Secretary, Arts and Culture Department; and Smt Junhi Han, Chief of Culture Unit, UNESCO New Delhi South Asia Regional Office, who attended as Special Guest. Shri Wankit Swer, General Manager, MBMA, shared key technical insights into the nomination dossier prepared by the State, highlighting Meghalaya’s unique heritage of living architecture shaped through bioengineering and traditional ecological knowledge.

The three-day programme included expert-led technical sessions, field visits to the Living Root Bridge sites, and a cultural evening showcasing local traditions, further anchoring the community’s integral role in heritage preservation. Discussions addressed critical ecological concerns such as managing tourist footfall to ensure the carrying capacity of the landscapes is not exceeded, the preservation of native biodiversity and ecological harmony, and the protection of the native diengjri (ficus elastica) and its specialized pollinators, which are essential to sustaining the root bridges and their surrounding cultural landscapes.

The event saw the participation of representatives from UNESCO, INTACH, MBMA, the Syrwet U Barim Mariang Jingkieng Jri Cooperative Federation Ltd., community members from the Living Root Bridge regions, and other stakeholders.

The workshop aims to advance the recognition of the Living Root Bridges—a rare example of human-environment symbiosis—as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, emphasizing the cultural significance, community participation, and conservation value of these organic structures.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in Meghalaya’s ongoing efforts to protect and promote its living cultural landscapes on the global stage.

 

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