​Visit Local Monuments and Heritage Sites For World Heritage Day

Chrysanthemum festival in full bloom at the Hiraizumi temples and gardens in Iwate prefecture in Tohoku, Japan (Photo:Ruksana Hussain)

Observing World Heritage Day on April 18 is one celebration that happens in the US and internationally. Also known as the International Day of Monuments and Sites, it is on this one day of the year that the world comes together to shine the light on our cultural heritage and its importance to the human experience as well as the need to protect and preserve the sites that are a part of our heritage. Every year has a theme and this year’s is rural landscapes.

This day is all about celebrating cultures, communities, heritage and the beauty of the human population globally. It's a brief reminder of the importance of respecting and remembering cultures and finding ways to celebrate them and preserve them for the future. Especially with the recent burning of the Notre Dame in Paris, this day holds true significance. Here are a few things you can do to participate in and promote this day as well as partake of activities where you live.

Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp grounds in Poland (Photo:Ruksana Hussain)

• Check out the local world heritage sites in your area

A quick search online will show you if you are close to any world heritage sites. These are global designations and today is a great day to visit them, though any day of the year is a good time to visit them just as well. 

• Visit monuments or other historical markers 

World Heritage Day is about cultures, people and how everything comes together. Visit local monuments in your area to celebrate the diversity and history that surrounds you. It is the moments in history that bring people together most everywhere.

• Connect with nonprofit organizations and see how you can help

There are several different organizations that take part in helping and educating about World Heritage Day. Find out if any nonprofits are celebrating the day in your area and see if you can be a part of it. Especially nonprofits that focus on cultural awareness and celebrating diversity might have some programming available.

• Travel to experience the culture of another country

What better way to celebrate the day than by heading to another country and surrounding yourself with a different culture? If you have the ability to book a ticket and go, do so! Exposure to other cultures is one of the best ways to celebrate the unity and diversity of the humane experience.

• Gather with friends and host a World Heritage Day Celebration

Who says that you even have to go anywhere to celebrate? Get your friends together and have everyone home for a little party. Better yet, have everyone bring a dish that reflects their heritage and culture – a great way for them to share their cultural heritage with you and for your to learn more about your friends.
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Another option is to visit the local tourism board or community center in your area to see if they have any activities being planned. Many libraries and cultural committees host presentations and panels on the topic and you might find educational organizations and international groups with local chapters hosting events as well. Though this is just one day of the year, the heritage sites and monuments can always teach us about our cultural and historical heritage. Go learn something new today and enjoy an experience with hearts and minds wide open. Do you live near a world heritage site or have you visited one? Let me know in the comments below!

Kluane national park's glorious glacier fields during a flight seeing trip in the Yukon Territory in Canada (Photo:Ruksana Hussain)