Creating a Cultural Property Loss Index (CPLI)

Nepal’s cultural heritage—especially in-situ artefacts—is  under threat from looting, incomplete inventories, and institutional gaps. This project supports the creation of a national Cultural Property Loss Index (CPLI) to help identify and prevent the trafficking of cultural objects, starting in Kathmandu. Implemented by the Namuna Foundation in partnership with ARCA and co-funded with the Swiss Federal Office of Culture and ARCA, the project will build a digital inventory, train heritage professionals and authorities, and mobilise grassroots volunteers and communities to document, monitor and report risks, including through a dedicated alert system and hotline. By combining digital system and shared database with local capacity-building, it aims to establish a sustainable tool for protecting Nepal’s movable heritage.