Kathmandu — The British Council has announced that its Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) is entering its tenth year, continuing critical efforts to protect cultural heritage at risk from conflict and climate change across 19 countries worldwide, including Nepal.
Since 2022, the Cultural Protection Fund has supported a range of community-led initiatives in Nepal aimed at empowering local communities and safeguarding heritage that connects people to their history, identity, and shared future. These initiatives include the revitalisation of the endangered Kusunda language, the revival of Maithil wall art led by women, protection of remote Himalayan monasteries in Dolpo, and documentation of indigenous food traditions in the highlands of Gandaki threatened by climate change.
Beyond Nepal, CPF-supported projects are making an impact across South Asia. In Bangladesh, the Varendra Research Museum is training professionals to protect museum collections and preserve oral traditions. In Pakistan, projects span the preservation of maritime heritage in the Indus Delta, safeguarding Hazara crafts, restoring Buddhist carvings in the Swat Valley, repairing historic Silk Route buildings, and reopening Karachi’s historic Khalikdina Hall as a vibrant cultural hub.
Rustom Mody, Country Director of the British Council Nepal, said the Fund reflects a long-term commitment to people-centred heritage protection. “The Cultural Protection Fund demonstrates our long-term commitment to protecting heritage while investing in people. By creating new professional development opportunities across Nepal, we are supporting heritage practitioners to strengthen skills, build networks, and shape the future of cultural protection in Nepal,” he said.
The British Council noted that these community-focused initiatives serve as engines for recovery, resilience, and renewal, enabling communities to reclaim cultural knowledge and build futures rooted in identity and belonging.
As part of the Fund’s 2026 programme, the British Council will organise a capacity-building workshop from 20 to 23 January for 33 heritage professionals from different parts of Nepal. The workshop aims to strengthen project management skills, enhance professional networks, and improve preparedness among heritage professionals and organisations.
The programme will also connect cultural heritage practitioners in Nepal with peers around the world, improving sector-wide coordination and supporting more effective engagement with national and international heritage initiatives.
About the Cultural Protection Fund
The Cultural Protection Fund is the UK’s principal international response to protecting cultural heritage at risk. Led by the British Council in partnership with the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Fund has supported 160 projects in 20 countries since 2016.
About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for culture and education, working to build trust and understanding between the UK and countries worldwide. Operating in over 200 countries and territories, the British Council reached 600 million people globally in 2024–25 through its work in arts and culture, education, and the English language.
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