The declaration that came on July 8, 2017 filled everyone in Ahmedabad and across the country with joy. The 600-year old Ahmedabad City finally was recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage, and now it has joined the ranks of Paris, Vienna, Cairo, Brussels, Rome and Edinburgh. The decision was made in the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee Meeting at Krakow in Poland. It is to be noted, a dossier was given to UNESCO Committee in 2010, when PM, Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Ahmedabad is the largest city in the state of Gujarat, and has been an important hub from its initiation 600 years ago. A walled city, Ahmedabad is still known for its hundreds of ‘Pol’ that reflect the essence of community living. The city also marks, as the place from where Mahatma Gandhi began India’s freedom struggle. It is also one of the few places where a fabulous melange of Hindu, Jain and Indo-Islamic art and architecture can be seen. According to India’s Ambassador and permanent representative at UNESCO, Ruchira Kamboj, the city “epitomises the UN’s objective of sustainable development as it accelerates in its development…chosen to be one of India’s first smart cities, while preserving its ancient heritage.”
