On 20 April 2026, UNESCO organized a final event to share updates on the preparation of the Management Framework for the Ram and Janaki Temple Complex, highlighting its potential to strengthen Janakpur’s position as a major cultural and pilgrimage destination in Nepal. Supported by the UNESCO/Korean Funds‑in‑Trust initiative “Support South Asian Heritage Sites Management Initiatives (Bhutan and Nepal)” and endorsed by the Government of Nepal’s Department of Archaeology (Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation).
The initiative connects Janakpur with other culturally significant destinations in Nepal, including the Bhruti Complex (Dailekh), the Lumbini–Mustang Heritage Corridor, and the Medieval Earthen‑Walled City of Lomanthang. Together, these sites illustrate how heritage can expand tourism opportunities across Nepal by encouraging longer visitor journeys, strengthening local services and skills, and creating new links between conservation, community livelihoods, and destination management. In Janakpur, this work has helped lay the foundation for a more coordinated approach to tourism development rooted in the city’s unique religious, cultural, and historical significance.
Protection of the heritage of Janakpur should not only be used as an election agenda; commitment at all execution levels should be ensured with a clear definition of each agency’s responsibilities.
During the final event, the study team shared lessons from their research and fieldwork, addressing key issues affecting the site and its future. The discussion underscored how better management of the Ram and Janaki Temple Complex can help protect an important sacred heritage site while also improving the visitor experience and strengthening Janakpur’s contribution to Nepal’s tourism sector. The event marked a shift from assessment to action, showing how heritage management can support sustainable tourism when it is grounded in evidence, guided by institutions, and sustained through collaboration — in line with point 72 of the Government of Nepal’s 100‑point governance reform agenda, which recognizes tourism as a prime sector.
This milestone builds upon a journey that officially launched on 8 December 2025 in Janakpurdham by Mr. Manoj Kumar Sah, Mayor of Janakpurdham Sub‑metropolitan City, and Ms. Saubhagya Pradhananga, Director‑General of the Department of Archaeology, together with the Mahanta (head priests) of both the Ram and Janaki Temple Complexes, local community members, and municipal authorities. Since then, a series of workshops have helped introduce conservation approaches, disaster risk reduction measures, and community engagement strategies that can support Janakpur’s emergence as a stronger and more sustainable tourism destination.
Protection and promotion of the heritage of Janakpur is a priority for Janakpurdham Sub‑metropolitan City, and this UNESCO K‑Fit project aligns with our goal with the initiation of the Integrated Management Framework.
Building on the findings shared during this final session, the strategic roadmap now provides a practical basis for strengthening heritage stewardship while opening new opportunities for sustainable tourism in Janakpur. By helping institutions work more closely together, the framework can support better planning, visitor management, and long-term collaboration that benefits both heritage protection and the local economy.
This meeting is a forum for exchange and a milestone in our long‑term, multi‑stakeholder collaboration -affirming our shared commitment to heritage protection, international standards, and sustainable management, and advancing next steps toward declaring a Protected Monument Zone and preparing a World Heritage nomination.
Jaco du Toit, UNESCO Representative to Nepal
This effort demonstrates how cultural heritage can serve as a strategic driver of Nepal’s development priorities by strengthening conservation, expanding high-value and sustainable tourism, and generating wider local economic opportunities. By linking heritage stewardship with destination planning, institutional coordination, and community benefit, it supports the Government of Nepal’s broader agenda to diversify tourism, enhance visitor experience, and position culture as a national asset for inclusive and resilient growth.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-and-partners-deliver-blueprint-sustainable-protection-janakpurs-ram-and-janaki-temple-complex?hub=701
