(Lanka-e-News -25.April.2025, 10.30 PM) Several documents linked to Sri Lanka have been inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.
The register consists of documentary collections including books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, sound or video recordings, which bear witness to the shared heritage of humanity.
Collections are added to the register by decision of UNESCO’s Executive Board, following the evaluation of nominations by an independent international advisory committee.
According to UNESCO, the following documents have been added to its Memory of the World Register.
Trilingual Inscription (TribhashaSellipiya)
Submitters: China and Sri Lanka.
The Trilingual Inscription is a stone tablet with Chinese, Persian and Tamil inscriptions, praising Buddha, God Vishnu and Allah. Discovered in 1911 in Sri Lanka by a British engineer, it is now preserved in the Colombo National Museum and has become the centerpiece of the Museum. A replica is exhibited in the Galle National Museum.
Dated 15th February 1409, the tablet was installed by the Chinese Admiral Zheng He. Originally inscribed in the Treasure Boat Shipyard Park in Nanjing, it was brought to Sri Lanka during his third voyage. The text mentions offerings made to a sacred mountain shrine. UNESCO describes it as the only known trilingual text combining these three languages and representing three distinct civilizations. During his voyages to the West, Zheng He erected tablets in many places to commemorate his voyages. However, so far, only the tablet erected in Ceylon has been discovered, and its value can be imagined. Today, it has become a precious material testament to China-foreign exchanges along the ancient Maritime Silk Road, continuing to narrate the historical stories of coexistence among diverse ethnicities, languages, and religions along this maritime route.
"The joint efforts underscore the mutual respect and commitment to cultural preservation that Sri Lanka and China have cultivated over the years. Such recognition will undoubtedly encourage further collaborations in fields such as archaeology, education and tourism," Ruwan Ranasinghe, Sri Lanka's deputy minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism noted.
Visitors look at the Trilingual Inscription at the Colombo National Museum in Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 17, 2025. Three documentary heritage collections submitted by China have been inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization announced on Thursday.
Visitors look at the Trilingual Inscription at the Colombo National Museum in Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 17, 2025. Three documentary heritage collections submitted by China have been inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization announced on Thursday.
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by (2025-04-25 17:06:30)
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