The Full Story
World Heritage Volunteers Campaign
The WHV Initiative was launched in 2008 to encourage young people to undertake concrete actions and play an active role in the protection, preservation and promotion of World Heritage. It consists of action camp projects organized by organizations or institutions, involving national and international volunteers in awareness-raising and hands on activities. These projects are implemented in cooperation with multiple stakeholders and partners, including the local communities, who work together towards the preservation of our common cultural and natural heritage.
The World Heritage Volunteers Initiative is led by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in collaboration with Better World.
Through the lens of Khushtar Heritage Collective’s (KHC) heritage programs, Ahmedabad emerges as a living classroom where youth engage with the city's layered past. KHC’s initiatives—like heritage walks, documentation workshops, and community storytelling—reveal the richness of its pol architecture, craft traditions, and intangible heritage. By activating historic spaces and involving local stakeholders, KHC fosters awareness and pride in the city’s cultural legacy. The programs not only conserve built heritage but also empower communities to reclaim their narratives. Ahmedabad, under KHC’s vision, becomes a site of learning, dialogue, and inclusive conservation
Vadnagar Chronicles: Unveiling the Layers of a Historic Town
Vadnagar Chronicles: Unveiling the Layers of a Historic Town is a flagship program by Khushtar Heritage Collective (KHC) that explores the rich cultural and architectural heritage of Vadnagar—a town with continuous habitation for over 2,500 years. Through immersive activities like field documentation, oral history collection, youth-led workshops, and community engagement, the program aims to decode the town’s multi-layered past. KHC brings together experts, students, and local residents to uncover stories embedded in monuments, craft traditions, and urban morphology. The initiative not only emphasizes preservation but also highlights the role of heritage in shaping contemporary identities. It reflects KHC’s core mission of participatory conservation and youth empowerment in heritage stewardship.
