{"id":2020,"date":"2026-07-26T08:06:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T08:06:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=2020"},"modified":"2026-07-26T08:06:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T08:06:44","slug":"unesco-adds-greeces-mount-olympus-ancient-japanese-capitals-to-world-heritage-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=2020","title":{"rendered":"UNESCO adds Greece\u2019s Mount Olympus, ancient Japanese capitals to World Heritage List"},"content":{"rendered":"
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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) \u2014 The iconic Mount Olympus in Greece<\/span> and the ancient Japanese capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara were among the sites added to the World Heritage List on Sunday at a U.N. committee meeting<\/span> in South Korea reviewing dozens of nominations.<\/p>\n

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The UNESCO<\/span> committee, which meets in Busan through Wednesday, also inscribed South Sudan\u2019s Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape, host to one of the world\u2019s largest land mammal migrations and the country\u2019s first addition to the World Heritage List.<\/p>\n

The World Heritage inscription of Mount Olympus, the mythical home of the 12 Olympian gods, rewarded a 12-year effort by Greece<\/span> to secure recognition for its tallest mountain as a mixed cultural and natural heritage site. Rising 2,918 meters (9,573 feet) from a base near sea level, the mountain was believed to be the throne of Zeus, king of the gods, while also harboring rich biodiversity.<\/p>\n

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Evangelos Geroliolios, mayor of Dion-Olympus, a municipality at the foot of the mountain, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press that inclusion on the World Heritage List \u201cplaces greater obligations on our part to protect this environment,\u201d citing the potential impact of increased tourism.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe reaffirm our unwavering commitment to safeguarding Mount Olympus for the benefit of present and future generations,\u201d said Georgios Koumoutsakos, Greece\u2019s delegate to UNESCO. \u201cAs Greek mythology wisely reminds us, it is always best to remain on good terms with gods.\u201d <\/p>\n

The designated Japanese locations in the western prefecture of Nara cover 19 archaeological sites from the 6th- to 8th-century capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara, where Japan established its first centralized state modeled after Chinese systems. The sites preserve the largely buried remains of royal palaces, government offices, Buddhist temples and tombs from capitals that influenced the later capitals of Nara and Kyoto. <\/p>\n

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Japanese Culture Minister Kobayashi Shigeki thanked the committee for inscribing the Asuka-Fujiwara sites and said Japan reaffirms its commitment to \u201ctransmitting this valuable property to the future generations.\u201d Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi<\/span>, a Nara native, wrote on X that she hopes the World Heritage designation would boost tourism to the site. <\/p>\n

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Yoshiyuki Aihara, a Nara University archaeology professor, told AP the sites are significant because they show how Japan\u2019s ancient state was formed through influences from China and the Korean Peninsula. <\/p>\n

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