Guwahati, Sept 4: The Wildlife Institute of India has proposed Living Roots Bridges of Meghalaya as a candidate for the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes.

Overseen by the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency with Syrwet U Barim Mariang Jingkieng Jri Cooperative Federation Ltd, the cultural landscape encompasses 74 villages in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, which constitute a living heritage of inseparable culture-nature relationships. Jingkieng Jri, a living plant-based structural system cultivated by Khasi-Jaintia communities for over two millennia, is an evolving entity integral to the landscape.

The Wildlife Institute of India is a nodal national agency for research and training in the field of wildlife conservation.

“Rooted in the Ficus elastica, these structures – bridges, ladders, steps, and erosion-control systems- grow continuously, making their development process inseparable from their existence”, says WII. Besides playing a critical socio-economic role within each village, Ficus-based Living structures also contribute to the ecology through forest and riparian restoration. The indigenous community, including traditional farmers and hunters, continue to use and nurture these structures, reinforcing the remarkable spirit of their ancestors.

“The nomination by WII-C2C may serve as an essential step to providing this systemic cultural practice, steeped in natural know-how, the global appreciation that it deserves”, the organisation said. The Wildlife Institute of India – Category 2 Centre (WII-C2C) is a specialised institution established under the auspices of UNESCO to support the conservation and management of natural World Heritage Sites in the Asia-Pacific region.

The site is already on the Tentative List of the World Heritage Convention. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also supported Meghalaya’s bid for UNESCO recognition of its living root bridges.

UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes honours the deep connections communities have forged with their environments and encourages further efforts in the knowledge, practice, and research necessary to protect these landscapes. The Prize includes a US$30,000 endowment and emphasises the crucial role of cultural landscape preservation in safeguarding the shared heritage while inspiring future action. It is awarded every two years to one laureate.

Established in 1995 in tribute to the iconic Greek actress and former Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri, the Prize has recognised outstanding conservation efforts for over two decades, promoting the sustainable management of cultural landscapes in alignment with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes was created in 1995 to reward outstanding examples of action to safeguard and enhance the world’s cultural landscapes.

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