Sri Lanka yet to declare any national heritage sites

• These sites include ancient temples, monasteries, fortresses, cave dwellings, inscriptions, and other historically significant locations spread across the island

By Indika Sri Aravinda  

The National Heritage Division under the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs has confirmed that no site in Sri Lanka has yet been officially designated as a “National Heritage Site” due to various complications related to the evaluation criteria.  

Although during a previous government administration, a circular was issued to all state institutions connected to the government, instructing them to nominate places to be named as national heritage sites, progress has been stalled due to various complications in the evaluation criteria, according to Sujeewa Palliyaguruge, Additional Secretary of National Heritage Division of the Ministry. 

Applications were called for from the relevant government institutions regarding this matter, but it has now been identified that many of these applications contain errors. In response, the then government appointed an expert committee to investigate the issue.  
Ms. Palliyaguruge further noted that two Cabinet papers proposing the naming of national heritage sites had been approved around three years ago. However, the process has still not progressed due to the aforementioned problems. She revealed that the expert committee appointed to look into the matter had only met once during the three-year period.  
As a result, the committee that met previously decided to revise the existing evaluation criteria. A new proposal including updated criteria is now being prepared to be presented to the Cabinet.  
However, she said that in Sri Lanka, over 20,000 sites of archaeological value have been officially gazetted under the Antiquities Ordinance. These sites include ancient temples, monasteries, fortresses, cave dwellings, inscriptions, and other historically significant locations spread across the island. The gazetting process is carried out by the Department of Archaeology to ensure the legal protection and conservation of these heritage sites.  
 In an inquiry regarding this issue, former Minister of Buddhist Affairs, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Vidura Wickramanayaka, stated that in 2022, during the tenure of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, two Cabinet papers were approved to name national heritage sites in the country.  
The UNESCO has recognized eight locations in Sri Lanka as World Heritage Sites: the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa, the Ancient City of Sigiriya, the Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications, the Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple, the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, the Sacred City of Kandy, the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka, and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.