UNESCO WHV - Lets Heritage,

About the event

The World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) 2017 campaign: Heritage in our hands will take stock of the progress made over the past ten years to mobilize youth to preserve and promote World Heritage by reaching out to their peers and their communities. 

Over the past ten years, the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) Initiative has tremendously grown due to the increasing interest and appreciation for the protection and preservation of World Heritage sites. In the year of its 10th anniversary, 51 youth action projects will be implemented at 50 World Heritage properties and sites inscribed on the Tentative Lists, from May through November 2017, by 46 organisations in 32 countries. 

From the Vajrayogini temples of Kathmandu Valley in Nepal to the 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl in Mexico, from the parks and gardens of Classical Weimar in Germany to the vertiginous peaks of Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda, the local and international volunteers of the WHV 2017 will be involved in projects held at some of the most outstanding places in the world. Offering a great opportunity for volunteers to immerse themselves in learning about the day-to-day life at a World Heritage sites, the WHV 2017 will enable volunteers to acquire basic preservation and conservation skills, and to engage in intercultural exchanges with local communities while being involved in World Heritage preservation and promotion.

Join us! Volunteering for World Heritage preservation is a unique experience!
The World Heritage Volunteers Initiative is led by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (WHC) in collaboration with the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS), European Heritage Volunteers (as a branch of Open Houses) and Better World.

Elixir Foundation is an organisation founded by the presidential awardees, who achieved the feat, due to social works under National Service Scheme - An Undertaking of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. The Idea was cultivated in order to give something back to the nation; organisation is an integral part of and also for the overall upliftment of our brothers and sisters.

Among the 46 Organisations selected, Elixir Foundation is the one hosting the WHV at Rani Ki Vav (The Queen's Step Well) at Patan, Gujarat, India from June 20, 2017 to July 01, 2017 inviting participation of youth globally to work on heritage conservation and promotion in India with Archaeological Survey of India & Government of Gujarat.

Rani-ki-Vav is an exceptional example of a distinctive form of subterranean
water architecture of the Indian subcontinent, the stepwell, which is located on the
banks of the Saraswati River in Patan. Initially built as a memorial in the 11th century
CE, the stepwell was constructed as a religious as well as functional structure and
designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water. Rani-ki-Vav is a
single-component, water management system divided into seven levels of stairs and
sculptural panels of high artistic and aesthetic quality.

Project objectives:

The project, implemented for the first year, aims at promoting heritage preservation
among youth and local communities, documenting and spreading examples of
active participation, stimulating a sense of responsibility and connecting
international and local people with the site management an conservation authorities.

Project activities:

The volunteers will organize and take part in different awareness raising actions, from
a heritage walk to classes, quizzes, treasure hunts, musical evenings, camp fire, paintings and art performances with local
youth, school students and community representatives. They will also organize a
photo context and prepare a documentary about the camp’s activities to promote
the site and youth involvement in heritage protection across different social media.

All participants will get participation certificate. Also a visit to other local heritage sights in Ahmedabad

Participation Fees:

-Indian Nationals: INR 8000 (Inclusive of Accommodation on sharing basis, Food & Local Travel)

-Foreign Nationals: $ 150 (Inclusive of Accommodation on sharing basis, Food & Local Travel)

***If you opt only participation & can arrange your food and stay then the participation fees will be INR 2500***

The nearest airport is Ahmedabad Airport. 

Once you fill up the form, our team will get in touch with you for further formalities & mode of payments.

For any queries you can write us on *****@****.***, *****@****.*** or reach us on +91-901 655 8924.

Thanks. Let's Heritage!

Why should you sponsor?

A high end project of UNESCO towards Heritage Conservation for a sustainable longer period of 11 days providing sponsors a greater visibility.

Madhish Parikh

Madhish Parikh, brought up in Ahmedabad is an active Youth Leader and a Social Entrepreneur who started his social journey being a NSS Volunteer from L D College of Engineering and is associated with many social change making organizations. Being a Computer Engineer he is more inclined towards Social Services. He has been awarded Indira Gandhi NSS Award by Honourable President of India in 2015 and National Youth Award in 2016 for his Community Development Programs. He was an Indian Delegate to Bahrain to work on Indo-Bahraini ties and was selected by Government of India. He is an Indian Delegate to "Women Higher Education for Peace Conference" at UN Head Quarters, Vienna in Austria. He was a special invitee at MyGov’s 2nd Anniversary by Honourable PM for being an active citizen on the portal. He is also a Global Shaper at World Economic Forum. His initiative of Statue Cleaning was tweeted by Shri Narendra Modi, Honourable Prime Minister of India. He formed Elixir Foundation uniting Indira Gandhi Awardees for community upliftment and social services. He holds the portfolios of NSS Advisory Board Member at Gujarat Technological University, Truecaller Brand Ambassador, Microsoft Student Partner, Co Founder & Trustee at Invincible NGO and President at Elixir Foundation.

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