UNESCO has granted World Heritage status to the Traditional Ice-Harvesting Cultural Landscapes of the Hindu Kush. These sites feature sophisticated yakchals—evaporative coolers made of heat-resistant mortar—that have allowed high-altitude communities to store ice through the summer for over a thousand years.
The committee noted that as climate change threatens local water security, these ancient systems of water management offer timeless lessons in sustainability. The designation includes funding for the restoration of crumbling structures and the documentation of the oral traditions associated with the seasonal ice harvest, protecting both the physical and intangible aspects of this unique heritage.