Researcher Sanjay Saifi (India) is awarded the World Heritage Scholarship 2026

The Culture and Competence Committee of Region Gävleborg has decided to award the researcher Sanjay Saifi the World Heritage Scholarship 2026 for his research project, ”Timber Against Time: Climate-Resilient Wooden Heritage in Sweden and Japan.”

As Region Gävleborg presents this international World Heritage Scholarship for the eighth year, the number of countries represented by applicants has grown even further. This year, Region Gävleborg received a total of 510 applications from 117 different countries - a remarkable level of reach for the scholarship from Sweden.

– It is particularly exciting that this year’s World Heritage Scholarship has been awarded to a researcher, as previous recipients have all worked in the arts. This highlights the wide range of perspectives and forms of expression that can be explored through world heritage. We are also delighted by the large number of applications, which reflects the strong commitment and interest in exploring and developing the significance of world heritage, says Frida Stål (M), Chair of the Culture and Competence Committee.

Comparing sites on different continents

Sanjay Saifi is a visiting researcher at Kyoto University in Japan and is also connected to the Department of Civil Engineering at IIT Bombay in India. His research focuses on disaster preparedness and risk communication.

In his project, "Timber Against Time: Climate-Resilient Wooden Heritage in Sweden and Japan," Sanjay Saifi aims to examine the similarities and differences between two World Heritage sites located on different continents: the "Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland" (Sweden) and the "Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama" (Japan).

Both sites share several common features, centered on timber structures – specifically traditional wooden architecture within rural, agricultural settings.

Furthermore, both are situated in regions characterized by distinct seasonal changes and winters with heavy snowfall.

They also serve as living examples of how rural communities in various parts of the world utilized wood and traditional knowledge to create durable structures that have survived for centuries.

Lessons from traditional structures

The project focuses on how traditional structures can offer lessons for sustainable development and climate adaptation. The findings are intended to inform guidelines for climate-resilient and sustainable building design, based on two World Heritage sites.

– We see that climate change poses a threat to many World Heritage sites – not least the Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland – as increased temperature fluctuations during the winter drive moisture into the buildings; this moisture risks damaging the paintings, which are the very foundation of the Decorated Farmhouses, says Anna-Karin Ferm, a World Heritage development officer at Region Gävleborg.

The scholarship provides Sanjay Saifi with the opportunity to spend a month at one of de seven World Heritage farmstead. He will also receive 50 000 SEK to support his project.

Since its inception, the World Heritage Scholarship has gained increasing prominence. It is open to artists, researchers, and cultural heritage professionals with a connection to World Heritage sites – regardless of where in the world they are based. The objective is to foster innovation and create unexpected intersections between World Heritage sites, in line with UNESCO’s goals. It is the first time the World Heritage Scholarship has been awarded to a researcher.