By Ama H. Vanniarachchy Ceylon Today Sunday

Drawing on my lifelong effort to promote holistic, people-centred heritage discourse, Heritage Journalism is essential because it translates complex cultural knowledge into accessible public narratives, empowers communities, and ensures that heritage remains a living, shared resource in a rapidly changing world. At the same time, the media should serve as a critical watchdog—exposing human, environmental, and institutional threats, questioning inadequate legal frameworks, highlighting emerging opportunities towards sustainable development of the society, and amplifying the voices of communities whose engagement is vital for the safeguarding and present and future relevance of heritage.”
Dr. Gamini Wijesuriya (PhD), Director of Conservation, Department of Archaeology (1993-2000), Special Adviser to the Director-General of ICCROM, Rome, Italy (2018-2023); Special Adviser to the Director of WHITRAP Shanghai, China.

Rich heritage, current threats, misinformation, and the urgency of responsible media
Sri Lanka is blessed with an exceptional inheritance of natural and cultural heritage – ancient city centres, monasteries, stupas, kovils, churches, mosques to name a few, dense forests, rivers, and fauna and flora rich landscapes all form part of this living tapestry. This is not merely the legacy of a past civilisation; it is the heartbeat of a nation’s identity. Yet, despite this richness and its potential role in national development, Sri Lanka lacks a fully articulated national policy and a strong legal system dedicated to protecting and preserving these irreplaceable assets.
Today, we face mounting threats on multiple fronts. The daily reporting of brutal elephant killings, the relentless destruction of forests, and the loss of wildlife have become distressingly commonplace. Alongside this environmental crisis, we hear too often of the destruction of historical and archaeological sites — places that should anchor our collective memory not be sacrificed in the name of short term gain.
Worse still, the rise of misinformation and the politicisation of heritage pose a far more insidious danger. In recent years, social media platforms have not simply spread news; they have fanned the flames of division. False narratives, half-truths, and racially charged commentary devalue our heritage and show mistrust among communities. In this context, the role of the media must be far more than passive reportage: it must become a bulwark against cultural erosion.
Journalism has a profound responsibility to defend heritage — not as a cultural luxury, but as a moral duty. Journalists must act as watchdogs, educators, and advocates. Heritage journalism must emerge not only as a profession, but as a vital force against neglect, distortion, and exploitation. This is no longer optional; it is urgent.

Heritage under threat: Contemporary incidents

The Trincomalee temple Incident
One of the most alarming flashpoints in recent memory is the incident in Trincomalee, where a Buddhist temple came under threat. Reports described how Buddhist monks were physically and verbally abused, while a torrent of hatred circulated on social media targeting not just individuals, but the very sanctity of Buddhist heritage in the region. This was not an accident: the tension was elevated, politicised, and deeply racialised.
Politicians weighed in loudly. Figures such as Shanakiyan Ragul Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam made public remarks dismissing the temple, racist comments and claming it was a new construction — despite clear records showing the temple was founded in 1951. Within hours, political rhetoric merged with communal prejudice, and the media narrative pivoted dangerously away from heritage protection and toward identity conflict.
In this moment, media failed in its most basic responsibility: to report with context, to fact-check aggressively, and to correct misinformation. Instead, many outlets amplified inflammatory statements. The absence of courageous, heritage‑centred journalism allowed partisan actors to dominate the story, deepen divisions, and transform a site of faith into a battleground of identity.

The Kurundi controversy
In Mullaitivu District lies Kurundi (also known as Kurundavashoka monastery), an ancient Buddhist monastery that bears deep historical, religious and cultural importance. Yet the narrative around it has been repeatedly twisted. What should be recognised as an archaeological gem has become a locus of racially charged unjust accusations. Rather than being preserved and celebrated, Kurundi has seen political unrest, misinformation campaigns, and horrifying social media mockery. A particularly troubling aspect is how its very protection has become framed in political terms: local voices highlight that calls for conservation have been dismissed or ridiculed under the guise of provoking racial tension.” Instead of acknowledging this site’s value, some media commentary has reduced it to a caricature of nationalist conflict. Unfortunate outcome had been some of the excavated monuments are left unconserved for years, losing a vital part of our heritage.
These controversies are symptomatic of a deeper illness — a society that is willing to weaponise heritage. When a national monument becomes a proxy for political leverage, heritage is forced to lose its role as a unifier and becomes a tool of division.

The broken role of mainstream media
These incidents illustrate grave systemic failure in Sri Lankan media. The mainstream press — newspapers, television, radio — has rarely risen to the occasion to defend heritage with moral clarity. Reports of damage or threats to heritage sites may appear, but more often they are distorted, sensationalised, superficial or limited to a one off news item. Newspapers run sensational headlines rather than analyse underlying power dynamics. Television covers protests, but rarely digs into land titles, archaeological claims, or the responsibilities of state institutions including their limitations and inefficiencies.
This is precisely why heritage journalism must become a profession, not a side note. We need reporters and editors who understand that heritage is not entertainment — it is national legacy and assigning it serious media weight is a matter of cultural survival.

What is heritage journalism?
Heritage journalism is the practice of reporting on cultural and natural heritage in a way that educates, advocates, and holds power to account. It focuses on tangibles (historic architecture, archaeological discoveries) and intangibles (rituals, languages, practices), and also the threats – looting, environmental destruction, unauthorised construction, and political interference.

Its purpose is threefold:
1. Educator : to bring to public awareness the richness, values of heritage, and threats as well as opportunities.
2. Watchdog : to expose neglect and the misuse of heritage.
3. Policy influencer: to shape discourse, advocate for stronger legal protection, and push for sustainable management.

Globally, heritage journalism has proven impactful. In conflict zones such as Iraq and Syria, media coverage of looted artefacts and destroyed monuments sparked international outrage and contributed to the adoption of stringent heritage protection laws. Reports pressured governments, international organisations, and heritage agencies to act. In each case, journalists served as the bridge between buried pasts and the present world demanding accountability.
For Sri Lanka, heritage journalism must fulfil the same roles — but with added urgency, because our heritage is not only physically vulnerable but politically contested.

The state of heritage journalism in Sri Lanka
Despite its critical role, heritage journalism in Sri Lanka is weak, fragmented, and often complicit in distortion.

Sensationalism and misrepresentation
Far too often, heritage stories are packaged as sensational spectacles — lost temples discovered,” controversial excavations,” ancient relics revealed.” While these headlines grab eyeballs, they reduce heritage to click bait and erase nuance. False or exaggerated historical claims are circulated for ratings, overshadowing serious scholarship and reducing heritage to a performance rather than a public trust.

Pseudoarchaeology: A national challenge
Sri Lankan media often fails to challenge myths rooted in pseudoarchaeology: claims that the Buddha was born in Sri Lanka, speculative theories about Ravana’s kingdoms, and other narratives lacking credible academic underpinnings. These are not harmless legends — they are sometimes promoted in a politically motivated way, reshaping public memory and distorting history.
Without critical media scrutiny, such myths flourish unchecked. They pose a serious risk: they can mislead the public, encourage ethnic tension, and justify political agendas under the banner of heritage.”

Neglect of natural heritage
Beyond stones and relics, Sri Lanka’s natural world — its forests, rivers, wildlife — is part of its heritage. Yet media coverage rarely treats nature as part of our heritage. Reports tend to frame wildlife as a nuisance or a threat, particularly in human–animal conflict stories, instead of reflecting on how ecosystems are interwoven with spiritual and historical landscapes. This omission is profound: protecting nature is as vital to preserving heritage as protecting temples.

The social media vacuum
When mainstream media fails, social media steps in — but often without the safeguards of journalistic ethics. Platforms allow rapid spread of myths, misinformation, and deliberate distortion. Meanwhile, professional heritage journalists who can contest these falsehoods are few. The result is that narratives about heritage are increasingly shaped by desire, ideology, and misperception, rather than fact, scholarship, and responsibility.

Archaeology, identity, and politics in Sri Lanka
Heritage in Sri Lanka is not just academic — it is deeply politicalArchaeology has become a battlefield of identity. Some exploit ancient sites to assert nationalist claims; others interpret archaeological findings through the lens of ethnic rivalry. When heritage becomes a tool for political leverage, the risk is not only to physical monuments but to social cohesion.

Weak legal and institutional frameworks and enforcement
Legally, Sri Lanka has protections for antiquities. But in practice, enforcement is inconsistent. Delays, lack of capacity, bureaucratic inertia, and sometimes overt political interference undermine the law’s effectiveness. Archaeologists and heritage professionals often face pressure when they challenge powerful interests.

Responsibilities of archaeologists/ heritage professionals
Archaeologists/ Heritage professionals bear a sacred duty: to protect heritage with integrity, resist political corruption, and engage local communities. They must present evidence-based interpretations, not bow to political narratives. When operating in contested regions, archaeologists/ heritage professionals should act transparently and inclusively — viewing heritage not as a trophy, but as a shared inheritance.

How to strengthen heritage journalism in Sri Lanka
To transform heritage journalism into a powerful force for preservation, we must act deliberately. Here are concrete steps:

1. Training for journalists
Establish formal education and training programmes that combine journalism with archaeology, anthropology, and heritage studies.
Institutions such as the Department of Archaeology, the Central Cultural Fund, and the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) should organise continuous professional development, workshops, and seminars.
2. Collaboration between media and heritage experts
Encourage partnerships between journalists, heritage specialists (archaeologists, historians, conservationists), and local community leaders.
Create a national advisory panel on heritage reporting to provide expert input, fact checking, and context.
Obtain and integrate heritage specialists’ views in disseminating news and views published in media
3. Ethical guidelines for heritage reporting

Media houses should adopt a Heritage Code of Ethics” that emphasises: truth, context, respect, and responsibility.
Journalists must avoid sensationalism, challenge pseudo-narratives, and present multiple perspectives — especially when covering contested sites.
4. Investigative heritage journalism
develop investigative units or beats within newsrooms that focus exclusively on heritage issues: land disputes, illegal constructions, site degradation, encroachment, and failure of heritage policies.
Use data journalism and archival research to expose how heritage is being threatened, misused or ignored.
5. Public engagement and awareness
Produce features, documentaries, and community stories that connect ordinary citizens to heritage: festivals, architecture, oral traditions, endangered sites.
Run public campaigns (in print, radio, online) to educate people about the value and vulnerability of heritage.
6. Learning from global models
Study successful heritage journalism in other countries — how media exposed looting, influenced law making, and mobilised restoration.
Adapt these practices to the Sri Lankan context: culturally sensitive, legally informed, and socially relevant.
7. Media as guardian of cultural rights
Journalists must see themselves not only as reporters but as defenders of cultural rights.
In contested areas, media should advocate for inclusive preservation: heritage must not become a tool of exclusion.
Heritage journalism as a national imperative
Sri Lanka’s heritage is too precious to be ignored, neglected, or manipulated. The threats we face — environmental destruction, political appropriation, social fragmentation — demand more than superficial coverage. We need heritage journalism as a serious, professional field. We need reporters, editors, and media houses willing to fight for historical truth, cultural dignity, and shared memory.
Heritage journalism is not a side-line in Sri Lankan media; it must be central. It must defend sites like Kurundi and Trincomalee not just for their stones, but for their history, their communities, their meaning. It must challenge myths, resist distortion, and demand accountability.
If the media fails, heritage will continue to be lost — physically, morally, and spiritually. But if the media rises to the challenge, we have a chance: to protect our past, to heal our divisions, and to build a more inclusive, informed future.
This is not simply about preserving old buildings. It is about preserving who Sri Lanka is — and who we want to become. Heritage journalism is our line of defence. Let us take it with courage, with conviction, and with conscience.

Special thanks to Dr. Gamini Wijesuriya for his guidance.journalism HERITAGE