When we hear the term ‘cultural heritage’, most of us will think about works of art, historical monuments and buildings or archaeological sites. But this is only one aspect of cultural heritage. The term actually refers to the entire heritage of a people; the values, traditions and beliefs that are passed down from generation to generation. In short, it’s all the things that a people consider important and worthy of preservation and that are embedded within a culture.
Cultural heritage can be tangible – like artefacts, monuments or museums – or intangible – such as a language, an oral tradition, a ritual or an oral history. Both types of cultural heritage have a great significance for a human society and are inextricably connected with the people who hold them. As a result, cultural heritage can contribute to a sense of identity and belonging. It is this that drives the need to protect cultural heritage from threats, such as natural disasters or even conflict and terrorism, that could jeopardize our collective history.
The intangible nature of heritage has, until recently, made it a challenging concept to quantify and evaluate. However, the development of new techniques and methodologies is bringing more rigour to this process. This includes the use of predictive models, which can be used to assess the impact that different factors will have on heritage conservation practices.
Some examples of this are the creation of the National Register of Historic Places in the United States – an official list of districts, sites, buildings and objects that is deemed to have significant historical or architectural value. Another example is the Statue of Liberty, which stands as a symbol of America and has been a source of inspiration for many artists and architects. It was originally created by sculptor Frederic Bartholdi in Paris and built by engineer Gustave Eiffel, who also designed the famous Eiffel Tower. The National Register of Historic Places, the Statue of Liberty and other cultural heritage are protected under laws that ensure their protection, but even these can be threatened by financial difficulties or by unforeseen natural or human-made disasters.
As a result, cultural heritage is under increasing threat. In some cases, the threat is economic (such as lack of funds to maintain something); in others, it’s environmental (for example, the destruction of Palmyra); and in the worst-case scenario, it can be terrorism or conflict.
To preserve this invaluable cultural heritage, it’s crucial to understand the risks it faces and to find out what is being done to mitigate these threats. It’s also necessary to create awareness about the importance of cultural heritage and its protection.
UNESCO, for example, has recommended that countries establish a dedicated department or position in the ministry of culture and tourism to manage heritage. This will enable better planning and implementation of long-term programs. It will also ensure that the needs of cultural heritage are not overlooked in the wider context of economic development and social policy.