ABSTRACT
Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha, was included on the list of World Heritage in 1997. This archaeological site in southwest Nepal has been an important pilgrimage site for more than two-and-a-half millennia. Over the past four decades, the international community has shown great interest in the development of Lumbini. While decisive steps have been taken to ensure the appropriate development and conservation of the archaeological site, some distinctive challenges still remain. This chapter discusses the challenges of safeguarding the values of Lumbini, a place of global importance over two-and-a-half millennia. The understanding of these values has been elaborated on over the past century through various archaeological activities and studies at Lumbini. International involvement has been critical to conserve these values, through the archaeological surveys, the preparation of the Master Plan, and in monitoring the World Heritage site.
