Cultural heritage is the legacy of humanity — our tangible and intangible evidence of how we lived, what we believed in, and how we built civilizations. Cultural heritage includes art and architecture, traditions, customs and practices, places and spaces, languages, literature, music, and other expressive works. It reflects the values and beliefs of people over generations and forms part of a country’s identity. It also explains ancestors, and helps us understand how they lived. Cultural heritage is important to preserve because it tells us what we have been, and what we may become.
Intangible cultural heritage consists of the traditions, oral history, performing arts, traditional craftsmanship, representations, and knowledge passed down within a community. These include social practices, festivals, and other events. It also includes the knowledge and skills acquired by communities from interacting with their natural environment over time. This includes spirituality, memory, language, and respect for nature and history.
It can be difficult to recognize intangible heritage because it is not physically present. It can also be difficult to determine its value. Cultural heritage experts have developed methods that can identify intangible heritage, as well as how much it is valued by a community. These values can be economic, such as the tourism revenue that is generated by heritage sites. They can also be recreational, such as the pleasure of experiencing culture and history in person.
A better estimation of the value of cultural heritage is a powerful tool for educating and inspiring individuals to cherish its importance. It can help us understand the impact of our actions on others and how we can work together to protect and restore it. The destruction of heritage sites and buildings by nonstate armed groups, militias, or even invading armies is a form of cultural and social genocide that must be recognized and countered.
The preservation of a cultural heritage is the responsibility of all citizens, regardless of their location in the world. The European Union supports the preservation of Europe’s cultural heritage through a number of policies and funding programmes. It is essential to safeguard the past in order to build a future that is rich and diverse for all of Europe’s citizens.