Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes that a group or society inherits from the past and values in the present. It provides them with a sense of identity and continuity that enhances their way of living together, which is why it is often seen as an important enabler for sustainable development. However, its importance as a development tool has been marginalised in past and current international development practices. This article seeks to interrogate this role and explore how to build future international development practice on local heritage.
UNESCO defines it as: “Heritage comprises all those elements of the tangible and intangible expressions of human creativity which have acquired, over time, outstanding universal value from an historical, architectural, commemorative, aesthetic or ethnological point of view.”
Intangible cultural heritage includes the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills – as well as instruments, artifacts and cultural spaces associated with them – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural identity and cultural history. It is passed on through the generations and gives meaning to their lives, promoting respect for cultural diversity.
Despite its significance, the concept of cultural heritage remains a subject of debate and controversy. Various definitions have been proposed to address the ambiguity of the term. Some authors have defined it as a “historical process of selection that characterizes each culture as an active participant in the making of its own heritage” (Benhamou, 2020: 279), while others define it as a “historical, social and political construction with unstable and blurred boundaries” (Guerzoni, 1997: 107).
The challenge to preserve cultural heritage is also an economic one. Many of the objects and activities that are considered to be part of cultural heritage are, by their nature, unique or even irreplaceable. Therefore, preserving them can be quite expensive. This, combined with the fact that people are comparatively more interested in ‘normal’ items than cultural ones, makes it difficult to find funding for conservation.
Furthermore, the custodians of cultural heritage are not necessarily skilled in organizing or managing funds. This has led to problems such as the disappearance of many small museums and libraries that used to safeguard heritage assets. In addition, some local communities do not see the value of their own culture and may be unwilling to commit resources to its preservation.
In some countries, a solution has been to establish cultural heritage offices within state departments that are responsible for the preservation of culture. This can help to ensure that the needs of both the public and the custodian are met. It can also be beneficial for the economy by bringing in tourists, and thereby contributing to job creation. Nevertheless, these offices must be carefully designed and managed in order to achieve their goals. In order to do this, a clear set of policies must be implemented, including defining the criteria for evaluating and selecting objects or activities that are considered to be cultural heritage.