Sri Lanka’s Great Chronicle given UNESCO world heritage status 

UNESCO declared 64 new world heritage documents into its Memory of the World programme in 2023, of which Sri Lanka’s Mahavamsa holds a special place in all of South Asia.  

The Mahavamsa (the Great Chronicle) was first written in the Pali language by Rev. Mahanama of the Mahavihara in the Anuradhapura era. It’s entries reach back more than 2500 years, with details about the life of the Buddha and the spread of Buddhism in the world. It contains written details of the history of Lanka in chronological order from 6 BCE to 1815 CE. In fact, it has been an invaluable source of information regarding the establishment and spread of Buddhism in the Asia Pacific region.  

The existence of several manuscripts of the Mahavamsa have been found in several countries, as were translations of it in several South East Asian and European languages. This stands testimony to its significance and value as a historical and cultural document with immense scholarly value to the entire region, and to the world at large.  

The Mahavamsa is currently placed in the library at the University of Peradeniya.  

The UNESCO “Memory of the World” programme was launched in 1992 with the aim of ensuring the preservation of, and enabling universal access to the world’s documentary heritage, while enhancing awareness about its significance.  

The organisation believes that the world’s documentary heritage belongs to all, should be fully preserved and protected for all and, with due recognition of cultural mores and practicalities, should be permanently accessible to all without hindrance.  

A total of 64 historically significant documents were entered into the Memory of the World register last year. These include the Illuminated manuscripts of Charlemagne’s Court School (submitted by Austria, France, Germany, Romania, and the UK), Feminism, science and politics – Bertha Lutz’s legacy (submitted by Brazil), the Four treatises of Tibetan Medicine (submitted by China), Archives of the Republic of Dubrovnik (1022-1808) (submitted by Croatia), the Archives of Antonín Dvořák (submitted by Czechia), the Behaim globe (Submitted by Germany), and the Royal Philanthropic Expedition of the Smallpox Vaccine, 1800-1820 (submitted by Spain), among others.  

For the full list of documents that were entered into the Memory of the World Programme in 2023, please visit https://www.unesco.org/en/memory-world/register2023?hub=1081