When one hears the term cultural heritage, it immediately brings to mind artifacts (paintings, drawings, prints, mosaics, sculptures) and historical monuments and buildings, but the concept of heritage has widened over time. Today it includes anything that bears evidence of human creativity and expression, whether tangible or intangible: music, language, traditions, beliefs, oral history, and even towns and landscapes. In addition, heritage is not bound by national or territorial boundaries, and even within a single culture, artists, scientists, craftsmen, and writers learn from each other, for instance from Japanese prints or African masks.
The importance of protecting the cultural heritage has grown so much that it has even made its way onto the international political agenda, and it is now one of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, many challenges still exist in this field. The following article looks at the different aspects of this complex issue, from the anthropogenic to the natural factors that threaten the preservation of heritage.
In a questionnaire, students were asked what they thought of when they heard the term “cultural heritage”. The results show that, in the initial phase of the study, the majority of students associated cultural heritage with objects and tangible assets. However, in the final questionnaire, these terms did not appear anymore, and instead the students included intangible elements and practices in their definition of cultural heritage.
Intangible cultural heritage encompasses the traditions, values, knowledge and skills that communities, groups and individuals recognise as part of their identities. These are transmitted and recreated through generations, and they contribute to a sense of identity, continuity, and respect for diversity. This type of heritage is often not visible to the naked eye, but it can be experienced through events such as festivals, rituals, traditional performances, and everyday activities.
These elements are often entrusted to local authorities or other institutions responsible for their protection and promotion. However, these bodies can face a range of problems, including conflicting interests, ownership issues, lack of resources and expertise, and insufficient management. In addition, anthropogenic and natural factors can also affect the state of cultural heritage. These include the effects of climate change, massification and pollution, and even terrorism and civil war (like in the case of Palmyra).
The best way to protect your own cultural heritage is by taking an active role in it. This means participating in the activities and traditions that you value, as well as preserving your own heirlooms and photos. In addition, you can help to promote your own cultural heritage by supporting the institutions that preserve it. For example, by visiting cultural events and attending concerts or buying local crafts. Finally, you can also help to protect your culture by promoting the values that it stands for. By doing so, you can make sure that future generations will have the same opportunities as you did. In order to achieve this, it is important to involve citizens in processes of heritagisation and de-heritagisation from an early age.