Page 12 - Social_Sustainability of Culture

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Cultural heritage includes tangible culture (such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art,
and artifacts), intangible culture (such as folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge), and natural
heritage (including culturally significant landscapes, and biodiversity). The concept of cultural heritage
developed as a result of complex historical processes and is constantly evolving and it is based on
historically changing value systems. These values are recognized by different groups of people. The ideas
developed and accepted by these different groups create various categories of cultural and natural
heritage (world heritage, national heritage, etc.). The concept of cultural heritage is also related to the
1
idea of protection or conservation. It is a result of a long historical development in which different values
were attached to monuments, buildings, works of arts, artifacts, landscapes, etc. The systematic
destruction or losses of these objects led to phrases such as “outstanding universal value” and to the
declaration that these objects belong to “humanity”. It means that cultural heritage and the natural
environment are unique and irreplaceable.

In the second half of the 20th century, both spontaneously evolving movements, organizations and
political groups – such as the international body UNESCO – have been successful in gaining the necessary
support to preserve some particular aspects of the heritage of many nations, through including concepts
such as World Heritage, World Memory. In the 21st century, the heritage has meaning on multiple levels
served best by multidisciplinary approaches and methodologies that can be developed and used
worldwide. Cultural heritage is in the scope of inquiry of a range of humanities, social sciences and
environmental studies, where solutions to Cultural Heritage and resource management issues are best
achieved by acknowledging differences and legitimating conflicting interests, so as to seek common
ground.

2.2 Accessibility of Cultural Heritage

Culture includes all the intellectual achievements of mankind from its beginnings to today; while, on the
other, heritage refers to non-contemporary intellectual achievements that have filtered through the
ages as the past’s indubitable legacy.

1 https://medievalstudies.ceu.edu/concept-and-history-cultural-heritage