Heritage Olympiad: Making a case for cultural learning

Kerala based venture to conduct online Heritage Olympiad in collaboration with UNESCO, Amar Chitra Katha, National Rail Museum, Sahapedia, Madras Inherited, Nehru Planetarium and others on April 18, World Heritage Day to stir up the cultural spirit amidst our shared detachment.

Keeping the monuments, crafts, arts and cultural treasures intact is relatively easier than safeguarding what is vital but ‘intangible’ in our culture. There is no denial that the crucial role of culture in daily life is understood by most of the people but it is of utmost importance to make generations stay connected with their roots especially in present times when physical space has shrunk.  

Some start-ups seem to have been trying  to blend commerce and culture to connect with audiences despite the ongoing pandemic and its adversities by creating apps that promote virtual tours of places, craft villages and museums.

Aiming to make heritage education in school more inclusive, interactive and accessible Culture, a heritage and cultural venture co-founded by Anjchita B Nair is all set to conduct an online Heritage Olympiad with the support of organisations like  UNESCO, Amar Chitra Katha, National Rail Museum, Sahapedia and others on April 18 to coincide with World Heritage Day.

Each participant has to pay a certain amount of registration fee to participate in the quiz. According to the Co-founder, as of now 2000 people have registered. They hope to take this forward by designing app-based interactive programmes based on our history and culture.

The Heritage Olympiad is for four categories of participants: classes V to VIII, IX to X, Plus Two, and the last is open to all.

Earlier the Intach chapter of Palakkad also conducted virtual sessions on various facets such as food, arts and literature of the district. Recently, they came out with an online cultural manifesto 2021, which will present the different aspects of the natural, artistic and intangible heritage of Palakkad to keep God’s own country divine as ever.