HETO Prelims: UNESCO and Heritage Tourism

• HETO Prelims Reviewer for Heritage Tourism at Our Lady of Fatima University

UNESCO

• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
• Functions to build peace through international cooperation
• Contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030), adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015

UNESCO Vision for Peace

• Political and economic arrangements alone are insufficient
• Peace relies on dialogue, mutual understanding, and moral solidarity
• Educational tools must develop global citizens free of hate
• Education access is a right for every child and citizen
• Cultural heritage/equal dignity are both protected
• Scientific programs support development and cooperation
• Expression is supported
• Provides a laboratory for ideas
• Assists countries in adopting international standards
• Founded to reaffirm education, science, and culture after the war

UNESCO's Role

• Preservation of cultural heritage
• International campaigns enhance major cultural sites in Indonesia, Egypt, Italy, Pakistan
• Inflation of campaigns led to reduced international funding
• Most funds are from extrabudgetary sources, UNDP, and government collaborations

World Heritage Volunteers Initiative (WHV)

• Launched in 2008
• Encourages young people to take concrete action
• Promotes protection, preservation, and promotion of world heritage sites
• Action camps are organized by youth organizations
• Institutions work with stakeholders
• Mobilizes national and international volunteers for hands-on activities

Cultural Heritage of Europe

• Ranges from natural to digital, tangible to intangible
• Natural heritage includes flora and fauna
• Digital heritage involves man-made animation, digital art, texts, videos, and records
• Tangible heritage encompasses artifacts, monuments, buildings, archaeological sites, towns, books, artwork, clothing
• Intangible heritage includes representations, knowledge, practices, skills, cultural spaces, performing arts, craftsmanship, oral traditions.
• Aims to protect heritage from harm and spark cultural dialogue

Properties on the World Heritage List

• Defined in Article 1 of the Convention
• Monuments include architectural works, sculptures, archaeological elements, and cave dwellings with outstanding universal value in history, art, or science
• Groups of buildings include separate or connected structures in a landscape with outstanding universal value in history, art, or science
• Sites are works of man or combined works of nature with historical, aesthetic, or anthropological value

Criteria for Property Nomination

• Should represent a human creative genius
• Exhibit an important interchange of human values
• Bear unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
• Be an outstanding example of a building or landscape illustrating human history
• Be an outstanding example of human settlement or land-use, especially if vulnerable
• Be associated with events, traditions, ideas, or literary works of universal significance

Natural Heritage Property

• Defined in Article 2 of the Convention
• Natural features include physical and biological formations with aesthetic or scientific value
• Geological and physiographical formations are precisely delineated areas that constitute habitats of threatened spieces
• Natural sites have science, conservation, or natural beauty value

Criteria for Natural Site Nomination

• Major stages of earth's history
• Significant ecological and biological processes
• Superlative natural phenomena
• The most important and significant natural habitats

Boosting Management Effectiveness

• Centre sets up an information website with case studies and best practices and supports the ICOMOS Charter for Sustainable Cultural Tourism
• Cultural tourism policies are outlined, complete with recommendations adaptable for natural areas

Incentives to Preserve Heritage

• Defined in Chapter 4
• Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts

UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation

• Defined in Chapter 5
• Addresses threats to cultural heritage sites
• Highlights the importance of private ownership and individuals
• Encourages private sector involvement and public-private collaboration
• Recognizes private and public initiatives that conserve heritage
• Awards Cultural Heritage Conservation and New Design in Heritage Contexts

Levels of Achievement

• Excellence: Exceptional achievement at national or regional level
• Distinction: Outstanding impacts at national or regional level
• Merit: Superior achievement
• Special Recognition for Sustainable Development: Great impact on sustainable development

Assessment Areas

• Projects are assessed on impact and contextual design
• Culture is a driver for sustainable development
• Winning projects exemplify sustainable heritage conservation
• Recognition is given to projects at local, national, and regional levels
• The project should have evangelistic tours of religious leaders, leaders, pilgrimages, and religious leaders

Components of Heritage Tourism

• Defined in Chapter 6
• Arises where tourist activities center around heritage
• Offers a quality historical experience

KEY Components

• Landmarks, Monuments, and Historical Sites with historical significance and architectural beauty
• Literature and Folklore include stories, myths, folk, poetry, and novels
• Music and Dances as universal languages like flamenco from Spain and reggae from Jamaica
• Religion and Spiritual Beliefs involving customs upheld by methods of subsistence
• Language, Dialects, and Communication Systems
• Arts and Crafts such as paintings, sculptures, and handicrafts
• Relics, Artifacts, and Antiquities as it relates to artifacts, literature, and buildings
• Sports and Games includes traditional games
• Customs, Traditions, and Ways of Life
• Livelihood and Industries such as historical tourism

Grand Tour

• Trips to Europe taken by young European men who had reached adulthood alone accompanied by family or friends

The Olympiad

• Inaugural Olympic games in Athens set precedent for intercultural understanding

Pilgrimages

• Marked by followers gathering at sacred locations

Growth of Heritage Tourism

• Defined in Chapter 8
• Barter System of 6000 BC involved Phoenicians and Mesopotamian tribes trading commodities
• Silk Road Route connected Europe, Middle East, and Asia and created silk trade
• Generates awareness

Importance of Heritage Tourism

• Defined in Chapter 9
• Instills national identity and promotes cultural roots
• Industrial heritage includes tangible remnants and culture related to industrialization
• Appreciates individuals from different countries
• Helps tourists discover new cultures and gain knowledge
• Generates economic activity and jobs
• Increases per capita household income and productivity
• Public and private sectors restore and protect a geographic area
• Creates innovative habitats and attracts workers
• Gives pride and ownership to residents

Types of Heritage Tourism

• Natural heritage values environment
• Cultural heritage passes tangible, intangible aspects down cultures and generations

Review of UNESCO's role in heritage tourism, including its function to build peace through international cooperation. Focus on Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) and UNESCO's vision for peace through dialogue, education, and cultural preservation. Covers the importance of education, cultural heritage, and international cooperation.