I am delighted to learn that the World Heritage Committee has included four cultural sites across the world including the Red Fort Complex on the UNESCO's World Heritage List today.

We are a country, which is proud of our civilization. There are very few countries in the world, which can boast of such a great civilizational and cultural legacy. Red Fort occupies a pride of place in every Indian's heart. Successive Prime Ministers have been unfurling the National Flag and have been addressing the Nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort since Independence. Every patriotic Indian's chest swells with pride when he sees the Red Fort.

It is a magnificent symbol of our great architectural heritage and indeed our Nationhood. Based on a synthesis of Islamic, Persian, Timurid and Hindu traditions, it is a shining example of our rich composite culture. This development is an important recognition by the international community of the grandeur of our rich cultural and historical monuments.