Deputy mayor Sunita Dangol: No room for politics in heritage conservation
Dangol said that participation in heritage efforts should come from Nepalis themselves rather than being influenced by geopolitics.
KATHMANDU: Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Sunita Dangol, has emphasized that political interests should not interfere in heritage conservation.
Speaking at the third annual meeting of the International Scientific Committee for the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site on Friday, Dangol said that participation in heritage efforts should come from Nepalis themselves rather than being influenced by geopolitics.
She stressed that investments in heritage reconstruction should ideally come from Nepalis, ensuring that future generations can take pride in saying, “This was built by Nepalis.” According to her, Kathmandu Metropolitan City is committed to making heritage preservation a matter of national pride.
“Whether the investment comes from the metropolis or the government, the construction must be done by Nepalis,” she said. “Years later, when people look back and ask who contributed after the earthquake, it should be our participation—not geopolitics—that they see. Our heritage should reflect our identity.”
Deputy Mayor Dangol also pointed out that awarding reconstruction projects through low-cost tenders has created challenges in proper heritage preservation.
