Cultural heritage reflects the cultural values of a particular society, providing it with a sense of identity and continuity. It includes the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes that define a community’s culture and history. This is a complex concept, with many ways that people engage with and value heritage. This engagement may include visits to culturally significant places, traditions, education programs, scholarly research, government policies, preservation, and tourism. Heritage can unite communities or divide them. It can be used for peacebuilding or used to incite conflict and violence. The Blue Shield is committed to supporting and protecting cultural heritage around the world in order to promote understanding and tolerance of the cultural diversity that makes up humankind.
Intangible cultural heritage consists of non-physical characteristics that characterize a community, such as customs and practices, artistic expressions, beliefs, languages, folklore, and cuisine. These qualities are passed on from one generation to the next, forming part of a community’s historical, religious, and social environment. This is a crucial aspect of culture, and it provides a foundation for identity and a sense of continuity. It is also a source of inspiration for new ideas and innovations.
The concept of cultural heritage is constantly evolving, and the definition varies depending on the perspective of the individual or group. What is considered to be a part of heritage often depends on the context, such as the political and religious environment, and personal preferences or pressures. It is also subject to changes as time passes and different technologies develop.
While it is impossible to give a complete and definitive description of what constitutes cultural heritage, some important criteria have been identified. These include the following:
In the context of UNESCO’s Cultural Convention, cultural heritage is considered to be “the natural and human heritage that represents the memory of past generations” and is “given universal significance because it is common to all humanity”. It is therefore essential to preserve and protect this legacy.
This can be done by ensuring that heritage is accessible to present and future generations, through measures such as preservation, conservation, restoration, and revitalization. It is also necessary to develop and implement a system of protection to guarantee that heritage sites are protected from destruction or damage by war, disasters, accidents, and natural events.
It is also essential to establish the legal status of cultural heritage in order to ensure its effective protection. This can be achieved by establishing an official agency in the country responsible for the preservation of cultural heritage, and by creating laws to protect it. Finally, it is also important to educate the public on the importance of protecting and preserving cultural heritage.
A cultural heritage policy should also encourage the involvement of local people in all phases of the conservation process. This is critical to ensuring that the public understands and appreciates cultural heritage, as well as its role in bringing together communities and promoting peace. Ideally, this will be achieved through educational institutions.