Cultural heritage is the legacy of sites, objects and traditions that embody a culture’s history, values and artistic expressions. It consists of tangible and intangible heritage, both of which are important for the survival of a culture. Tangible heritage consists of physical items, such as buildings and archaeological sites that are representative of a particular culture. Intangible heritage includes traditions, oral history and social practices. It also encompasses languages and traditional craftsmanship.
The concept of cultural heritage has become increasingly significant, especially in the wake of globalization, which accentuates differences between cultures and creates new opportunities for the preservation of cultural heritage. However, the concept of cultural heritage is also complex because it does not simply represent a collection of objects, but rather a holistic experience of a people’s history and identity. The concept of cultural heritage is therefore a dynamic one that should be constantly adjusted to the changing realities of the world and the needs of future generations.
In the past, the people who worked in the field of cultural heritage often had a strong academic background – think archaeology or art history – but it is becoming more and more clear that in order to preserve the diversity of our cultural heritage we need to provide them with management training as well. This is because cultural heritage projects require not only expert knowledge of the specific topic, but also how to find funding, manage people from diverse disciplines, ensure the intended outcome is achieved and plan for a sustainable heritage management in the future.
Another key factor in preserving cultural heritage is the development of technologies that make it easier for people to access and participate in virtual cultural experiences. This is because immersive technology such as the metaverse enables more people to experience their cultural heritage, making it easier for them to connect with it and form a deeper understanding of what it means to be part of a particular culture. However, implementing these kinds of technology in cultural heritage institutions requires the development of standardized protocols and guidelines that ensure the quality and authenticity of virtual heritage experiences.
Harnessing cultural heritage to foster international development is a promising strategy. However, the results of this research have shown that further improvement is needed to improve the quality of heritage-based international development projects. This includes a greater sensitivity to context in the definition of project activities, and improved planning processes with more flexible options to anticipate risks and implement mitigation strategies; greater involvement of communities in every stage of the process to increase local ownership; and more attention to community-based heritage management and development, which is a vital step to strengthening the resilience of cultural heritage in the face of external threats. Finally, more research on how cultural heritage is used for international development should be carried out to explore the broader implications of this practice. This will help to better understand the complexities and diversity of global development challenges that can be addressed by harnessing cultural heritage.