Patiala, March 17
Patiala Foundation, an Indian NGO in special consultative status with ECOSOC, has delivered a video statement under Agenda Item 4 (General Debate) at the 61st regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, focusing on the protection of minority religious heritage.
Speaking on behalf of India’s civil society, CEO Ravee Singh Ahluwalia underlined that Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras linked to communities displaced during Partition are living repositories of memory and identity for minorities from the Indian subcontinent, not just old buildings. The statement welcomed India’s proactive efforts to document and preserve cultural heritage, and presented Patiala Foundation’s Project iHERITAGE as an Indian initiative that uses digital tools and QR‑based “Digital Heritage Walks” to connect diaspora and minority communities with historic neighbourhoods, libraries, temples and gurdwaras.
Referring to recent public reporting on a document presented to Pakistan’s Parliamentary Committee on the Minority Caucus, including by Dawn and other media, the statement noted information indicating that only a small fraction of over 1,800 documented Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan remain functional. While acknowledging that several factors are involved, Patiala Foundation said these reports raise serious concerns about the protection of minority religious heritage and stressed the need for transparent mechanisms that allow affected communities to participate in safeguarding their sacred sites.
Patiala Foundation urged the Human Rights Council and Member States to recognise religious heritage as a core part of minority rights, and affirmed that India’s experience in documentation, digitisation and community‑based heritage work can offer valuable examples for the region and beyond.
