Cultural heritage is an integral part of a nation’s or community’s identity. It includes intangible aspects as well as physical artifacts, buildings, landscapes, and archaeological sites. It reflects the religious, political, and social environment in which the community developed its values and practices and provides its sense of continuity and stability. It is also a source of inspiration and creativity for the next generation.
The conservation and preservation of cultural heritage is a complex endeavor. Many of the challenges are intrinsic to the nature of cultural heritage, such as its fragility and vulnerability to environmental conditions and human actions. Other problems stem from the complexity of the heritage, such as the difficulty in preserving all aspects of it, or the diversity of the communities that constitute it. Moreover, the heritage can be perceived as a threat or as an obstacle to the modernization and development of societies that possess it. Consequently, the protection of heritage can become a politicized issue and can be exploited in renewed nationalist or chauvinistic movements. The destruction of the mausoleums in Timbuktu by Islamic extremists is a case in point.
It is therefore vital that cultural heritage organizations develop and implement strategies to promote and protect the value of cultural heritage in local communities. This is accomplished by encouraging the community to take an active role in the development and preservation of its cultural heritage. Cultural heritage is a shared property of all members of the community and the responsibility for its protection lies with all of them. This is best achieved by developing a partnership between the people who know about and understand the heritage, and those who are experts in the management and organization of funds.
As a result of the growing recognition of the importance of cultural heritage, there is a growing interest in its research and preservation. This is reflected in the increasing number of publications on the topic, although this increase does not necessarily correspond to an improvement in publication quality, as measured by the Web of Science (WOS) journal ranking system.
A variety of different types of organizations are involved in the research, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, including universities and museums. However, the challenges of preserving cultural heritage are complex and require multidisciplinary approaches that combine knowledge from a range of disciplines including the humanities, social sciences and environmental studies. In addition, the protection of cultural heritage needs to be integrated into policymaking. This is particularly important given the current global context of increased international competition and conflict. In this context, the preservation and enhancement of cultural heritage is a crucial factor for building a global culture of peace.