By Naveensanchar Online
Kathmandu, Nepal
21 February 2026 –The UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok is pleased to announce the winners of its 2025 Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation (#HeritageAwards). The 2025 Awards recognized ten outstanding projects from six countries, including China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal and Vanuatu.
For Nepal, you can find details of the winners below.
Award of Merit
Jestha Varna Mahavihara Conservation Project, Lalitpur, Nepal
Jury’s citation
The conservation of the Jestha Varna Mahavihara, established in the mid-17th century, represents a carefully conceived effort to restore and reconstruct a site of profound religious and cultural importance for Nepal’s Newar Buddhist community. Prior to the earthquake, the structure had suffered severe deterioration, and the conservation process adopted a holistic approach, grounded in archival research, structural repairs, archaeological impact assessment, and the preparation of a detailed conservation plan, all of which contributed to the long-term functionality and resilience of the site. Notably, the project carefully safeguarded the vihara as a living heritage site, ensuring daily rituals continued uninterrupted during the conservation works, central sacred elements were preserved, and ongoing maintenance sustains its role as a vital centre of community devotion.
Award of Merit
with Special Recognition for Sustainable Development
Lowo Nyiphug Namrol Norbuling Monastery Conservation Project, Mustang, Nepal
Jury’s citation
The conservation of the Lowo Nyiphug Namrol Norbuling Monastery safeguards a vulnerable earthen architectural typology characteristic of the Tibetan Plateau, increasingly threatened by climate change-driven precipitation. The monastery is a 500-year-old complex built and expanded by resident monks, presenting a distinctive fusion of Tibetan Buddhist monastic architecture and the Mustang Valley’s earlier cave-dwelling traditions. Of particular note is the involvement of practitioner-builders from the local monastic community, whose technical expertise placed traditional construction knowledge at the heart of the conservation process. Implemented in the challenging post-earthquake context, this sustainable intervention is distinguished by its integration of modern seismic-resistance techniques within a framework that remains deeply respectful of the site’s spiritual significance. It further strengthens long-term resilience by supporting maintenance and enabling the local community to continue stewardship.
