write an essay about the preservation of traditional art

The Role of Art in Cultural Preservation: How Creativity Can Protect Heritage

Art has long been tied to cultural preservation, as it holds the ability to transcend time through creativity, expression, and representation. It is an artifact that historians rely on to interpret the lifestyle and beliefs of people across different time periods. From paintings and sculptures to photographs and textiles, art tells a story of who we are and what we’ve been through.

Cultural preservation is not a new concept, as countless societies over the centuries have sought to preserve their heritage through various means, such as oral traditions, religious practices, and artistic creations. Indigenous communities across the world have relied on traditional art forms to keep their culture and history alive for decades, centuries, or even millennia. This demonstrates the value of art as an essential tool for cultural preservation.

Art is essential for cultural preservation because it connects us to our past, creating a shared cultural heritage that allows us to recognize and appreciate our differences and similarities. Artistic expressions and representations offer a glance into different cultures, their history, and values. For instance, the traditional tattoo artwork of Polynesian culture is a record of life experiences and genealogy that conveys the legacies, beliefs, and knowledge of the community.

In addition, art serves as a tool for cultural expression, and therefore can be used to protect heritage. It allows individuals and communities to share their stories, beliefs, and values, while showcasing their unique traditions and cultural practices. Art gives people the chance to express themselves in ways that are unique and meaningful, preserving their cultural identity while they share it with the world.

Moreover, preservation of art is also important since it offers us a glimpse into our history. The art we find offers a record of the evolution of human society, from simple paintings in caves to complex sculptures in palaces, telling the story of our evolution from primitive beings to modern humans. Even pop art or modern music can reflect social and cultural shifts, serving as snapshots of a given time and place. That means artwork tells us about our history, our society, and our values.

Art also serves as an educational tool, offering insights into different cultures, their traditions and values. It provides an opportunity to learn about the stories and beliefs of different communities, promoting a greater understanding of diverse cultural identities. Such knowledge offers the possibility of acceptance and unity, enabling us to appreciate our differences and work together to preserve the cultural heritage of different people across the world.

In conclusion, art plays a crucial role in cultural preservation, serving as a repository of our cultural heritage, an educational tool, and an expression of our identity. It offers us a glimpse into how we lived in the past and helps us share our stories with those who come after us. Thus, it is imperative that we continue to celebrate and support the role of art in preserving our cultural heritage for generations to come.

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Home — Essay Samples — Arts & Culture — Heritage — Cultural Heritage: Preserving Identity and Tradition

Cultural Heritage: Preserving Identity and Tradition

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• Armed Conflict and Heritage
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Cultural heritage: 7 successes of UNESCO’s preservation work

The power of preserving cultural heritage to build a better world

Why do we go to great lengths to preserve culture and make it bloom? Culture is a resource for the identity and cohesion of communities. In today’s interconnected world, it is also one of our most powerful resources to transform societies and renew ideas. It is UNESCO’s role to provide the tools and skills we need to make the most of its ultimate renewable energy.

Historical landmarks, living heritage and natural sites enrich our daily lives in countless ways, whether we experience them directly or through the medium of a connected device. Cultural diversity and creativity are natural drivers of innovation. In many ways, artists, creators and performers help us change our perspective on the world and rethink our environment. These are precious assets to respond to current global challenges, from the climate crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The notion of culture has greatly evolved over the last 75 years. UNESCO’s actions over the past decades bear witness to the many ways in which humanity tried to understand how culture can strengthen the sense of who we are – from the awareness of the necessity to protect heritage from destruction at the end of World War II, to the launch of international campaigns to safeguard World Heritage sites and the concept of living and intangible heritage, a focus on creative economy and the need to sustain cultural jobs and livelihoods. Our relationship with culture has deeply evolved over the last century. If we look into the past, we might be better prepared to tackle further changes ahead.

The United States will be participating in an international effort which has captured the imagination and sympathy of people throughout the world. By thus contributing to the preservation of past civilizations, we will strengthen and enrich our own.

Abu Simbel – We do not have to choose between the living and the dead

A few minutes before sunrise, thousands of visitors line up inside the temple of Abu Simbel, holding their breath. They are about to witness a rare phenomenon that has taken place twice a year for the last 3,000 years. Every February and October at 6:29 am, the light of the rising sun pierces through the narrow entrance. The rays penetrate over 70 metres deep across the giant pillared hall up to the inner sanctuary, illuminating the statue of the man who built the temple during the 13th century BC, Pharaoh Ramses II.

Carved out of a rocky hill, the Temple of the Rising Sun had been conceived to show the might of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh to the Nubian people in the Upper Nile. Over time, the great temple and the smaller buildings became covered in sand and lay forgotten for centuries, until their rediscovery in 1813. The supreme example of ancient Egypt’s knowledge of astronomy and the skill of its architects could be admired again.

But just over a century later, the southernmost relics of this ancient human civilization were threatened with underwater oblivion and destruction by the rising waters of the Nile following the construction of the Aswan High Dam. The construction of the Dam was meant to develop agriculture as well as Egyptian independence and economy, and triggered a global debate that has fuelled media front pages and discussions ever since: should we have to choose between the monuments of the past and a thriving economy for the people living today? Why should people care for ancient stones and buildings when so many people need food and emergency assistance?

In the course of an unprecedented safeguarding campaign to save the temples of Egypt, UNESCO demonstrated that humanity does not have to sacrifice the past to thrive in the present – quite the opposite. Monuments of outstanding universal value help us understand who we are and also represent massive opportunities for development. Two millennia after a Greek author and scientist drew the famous list of the world’s seven wonders, the very notion of World Heritage came to life.

The race against time began in 1964 , when experts from 50 nations started working together under the coordination of UNESCO in one of the greatest challenges of archaeological engineering in history. The entire site was carefully cut into large blocks, dismantled, lifted and reassembled in a new location 65 metres higher and 200 metres back from the river, preserving it for future generations.

Today, the four majestic statues that guard the entrance to the great temple stare at the river and the rising sun every day. As they did 3,000 years ago. The success of the international cooperation to save Abu Simbel raised awareness about the fact that all over the world there are places of outstanding universal value. Just like the Nile valley temples, they must be protected from many threats such as armed conflict, deliberate destruction, economic pressure, natural disasters and climate change.

The World Heritage Convention was adopted in 1972 as the most important global instrument to establish this notion, bringing all nations together in the pursuit of the preservation of the World’s Natural and Cultural Heritage. With its 194 signatory Member States, it is today one of the world’s most ratified conventions.

How is a site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List?

For a site to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, it must first be nominated by the country where it is located. The nomination is examined by international experts who decide whether the inclusion is justified. Finally, the World Heritage Committee, a body of 21 UNESCO elected Member States, takes a vote.

Venice – Can the safeguard of cultural heritage and global tourism coexist?

Launched only a few years after the Nubian temples initiative, the safeguarding campaign for Venice was a response to various challenges including the rising waters and the explosion of global tourism.

Stepping  outside the railway station early on an autumnal morning, visitors are met with the view of the chilly air colliding with the water, forming a thick, soft blanket of fog over the Grand Canal, the ‘main street’ of Venice. The church of San Simeone Piccolo, with its oversized dome and slender neoclassical columns, and the neighbouring buildings appear to be floating on the water of the lagoon. It’s a sight that has welcomed millions of visitors from all over the world since the heydays of the Serenissima, when the city ruled as one of Europe’s economic superpowers.

Yet, the breath-taking beauty that inspired countless painters, writers and artists over the centuries remains fragile and at risk of being lost forever. Like the Abu Simbel temples, the city’s survival is threatened by rising water levels. The inexorable increase in sea level has caused flooding to become a regular occurrence. Humidity and microorganisms are eating away the long wooden piles that early dwellers drove deep into the muddy ground of the lagoon to build the first foundations of Venice, 1,600 years ago.

After 1966, the year of the worst flooding in Venice’s history, UNESCO and the Italian Government launched a major campaign to save the city. An ambitious project involving giant mobile flood gates was undertaken to temporarily isolate the lagoon from the high tides and protect the lowest areas from flooding. Thirty years later there is unanimous agreement on the successful results both of the technical achievements and international cooperation.

But Venice still needs attentive care, and its continued survival calls for unflagging vigilance. The city remains threatened on several fronts – mass tourism, the potential damage of subsequent urban development and the steady stream of giant cruise ships crushing its brittle foundations.

International mobilization and pressure around the status of Venice led to the Italian Government’s decision in 2021 to ban large ships from the city centre, as a necessary step to protect the environmental, landscape, artistic and cultural integrity of Venice. This decision came a few days after UNESCO announced its intention to inscribe the city on its World Heritage in Danger list. Until a permanent big cruise docking place is identified and developed, liners will be permitted to pull up in Marghera, an industrial suburb of Venice. Such decisions illustrate the great complexity of protecting historic cities and cultural heritage urban centres, which in this particular situation called for tailor-made measures and techniques different from those implemented for the safeguarding of the fabled Egyptian temples.

If every museum in the New World were emptied, if every famous building in the Old World were destroyed and only Venice saved, there would be enough there to fill a full lifetime with delight. Venice, with all its complexity and variety, is in itself the greatest surviving work of art in the world.

Angkor – A successful example of longstanding international cooperation

Deep in the forests of Cambodia, in the Siem Reap Province, the five lotus-flower-shaped towers of majestic Angkor Wat soar towards the sky. When approaching from the main gate, the vast scale of the temple and the precise symmetry of the buildings are awe inspiring. This is the world's largest religious monument.

Angkor Wat was part of a sprawling city as big as London, the heart of an empire that between the 9th and 15th centuries extended from southern Vietnam to Laos, and from the Mekong River to Eastern Myanmar. By around 1500 A.D., the Khmer capital was abandoned, most likely after heavy floods and lengthy droughts. Its temples, buildings and complex irrigation network were swallowed by the surrounding forests and lay hidden until their rediscovery in 1860.

By the early 1990s, the site was under major threat, with many of the temples at high risk of collapse and several sites looted. Conservation work at Angkor had not been possible since the outbreak of the civil war, the rise of the Khmer Rouge regime and the following civil unrest.

Angkor Wat’s inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1992 marked a milestone in the country’s recovery after years of conflict. The UNESCO-backed preservation of the temples aimed to assist in nation-building and national reconciliation. The action of the International Coordinating Committee (link is external) (ICC-Angkor) for the safeguarding and development of this exceptional cultural site is a striking example of international solidarity and testifies to one of UNESCO's most impressive achievements for heritage. Thirty countries and an ad hoc experts group for scientific, restoration and conservation projects were brought together under an innovative approach, closely linking safeguarding operations to sustainable development efforts.

In 25 years, Angkor has thus become a living laboratory demonstrating the potential of sustainable tourism and crafts, with the mobilization of local communities for social cohesion in 112 villages. The gigantic site now supports 700,000 inhabitants and attracts some five million visitors whose flow must be managed each year. The park authorities are carrying out several projects aimed at improving the lives of communities through the implementation of sustainable tourism that respects local sensitivities. The removal from UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger just fourteen years later is a credit to the Cambodian people.

The fact that a project of such magnitude was successfully carried out in a country emerging from more than two decades of conflict in 1992 is a testament to the potential of the World Heritage Convention and the international solidarity led by UNESCO.

Walking through the temple, I saw reminders of the prosperous civilization that built it: hundreds of beautiful figures carved into the walls telling the stories of these ancient people; wide galleries they must have prayed in; long hallways lined with pillars they must have walked down.

No one knows for sure what caused the empire to abandon this temple and the surrounding city, but in the 15th century almost everyone left. Trees grew over the stones. Only Buddhist monks stayed behind to care for — and pray in — the hidden temples.

But that didn’t stop pilgrims and visitors from continuing to journey here to take in these incredible structures. And now, centuries later, I couldn’t be more thankful to count myself as one of these visitors

Mostar – Symbols do matter, in war and peace

It’s the end of July in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Peak summer means an influx of tourists to the cobbled alleys of Mostar. The cosy medieval town has a long, rich history marked by the peaceful coexistence of three communities: Muslim Bosniaks, Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats. Once they arrive in town, visitors from all over the world make a beeline for Mostar’s most emblematic monument, the Old Bridge.

A masterpiece of Ottoman architecture, Stari Most – as it’s known locally – is a symbol of the different communities that have existed side-by-side in the area. Since the 16th century, the bridge had brought them together across the Neretva river – until the Bosnian war. The bridge was a symbol of unity between the Bosnian community (Muslim), in the east of the city, and the Croats and Serbs to the west. The bridge of Mostar (of Ottoman, therefore Muslim origin) served as a link between all these communities – as a pedestrian bridge, it had no military or strategic value. Its destruction in 1993 was only meant to force the communities to separate, to deny their mixing with their neighbours. The bridge was in ruins and, with it, the values of peace and understanding this centuries-old structure had embodied.

Five years later, UNESCO coordinated a reconstruction project to rebuild the Old Bridge. Despite the scars of the war that are still visible today on the city walls, the reconstructed bridge has now become a symbol of reconciliation and post-conflict healing.

Today, the crowds jam the street to watch the traditional diving contest from the top of the bridge, a long-held custom resumed once Stari Most was restored to its former glory. Every July, young people of Mostar’s three communities compete with courage by jumping into the river 29 metres below, just like they did before the war.

For over four years after the ceasefire, former enemies worked together to retrieve the stones from the riverbed and rebuild their former symbol of friendship. Reconstructed in 2004 and inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2006, Stari Most today is a bridge between a common past and a common future. It is certainly not enough to rebuild a bridge to restore confidence and rebuild peace in a war-torn society. But it certainly matters to care for the symbols of peace.

I was in my office, working to the sound of mortar fire, when we heard the cries in the street – cries that the bridge had fallen. And what happened then was so impressive that I will never forget it. Everyone came out to see. Grenades and bombs were falling everywhere, but still they came out of their hiding places: young and old, weak and strong, Muslim and Christian, they all came, all crying. Because that bridge was part of our identity. It represented us all.

Timbuktu – When warlords target heritage, peacemakers respond with more heritage

Sitting at the gateway to the Sahara Desert, Timbuktu conjures images of a mythical city at the end of the world, where Arab and African merchants would travel from afar to trade salt, gold, cattle and grain. In the English language, the city in northern Mali has come to represent a place far away. Undaunted, caravans still ply the cross-desert route and come to the city several times a year. They carry rock salt extracted from the northern Sahara, just like their ancestors did for centuries.

In its heyday, during the 16th century, the city had 100,000 inhabitants, as its mosques and holy sites played an essential role in the spread of Islam in Africa. The city became an important centre of learning in Africa and its libraries the repository of at least 700,000 historical manuscripts on art, science and medicine, as well as copies of the Qur’an. These manuscripts, written in ornate calligraphy, bear witness to the richness of African history and intellectual life.

During the conflict of 2012–2013, more than 4,000 of the 40,000 manuscripts kept at the Ahmed Baba Institute were lost. Some were burnt or stolen, while more than 10,000 remained in a critical condition. The inhabitants of Timbuktu helped save their precious heritage by secretly spiriting away more than 300,000 manuscripts to the capital, Bamako. Other texts were sheltered between mud walls or buried. Although protected from immediate destruction, the manuscripts are now preserved in conditions that may not safeguard them for future generations.

To help preserve Timbuktu’s cultural heritage and encourage reconciliation, UNESCO has been supporting the local communities to take part in ancient manuscript conservation projects and ensure their lasting preservation for humanity.

UNESCO has coordinated the work to rebuild the fourteen mausoleums inscribed on the World Heritage List, as well as the Djingareyber and Sidi Yaha mosques, that were deliberately destroyed by armed groups during the conflict.

The reconstruction of Timbuktu’s devastated cultural heritage aimed to foster reconciliation among communities and restore trust and social cohesion. An important aspect of the project was the drive to include the reconstruction of the mausoleums in an overall strategy aimed at revitalizing building traditions and ensuring their continuity, through on-the-job training activities and conservation projects.

To ensure the rebuilt shrines matched the old ones as closely as possible, the reconstruction work was checked against old photos and local elders were consulted. Local workers used traditional methods and local materials, including alhor stone, rice stalks and banco – a mixture of clay and straw.

The destruction of the mausoleums of Timbuktu has been a shock, and a clear turning point revealing the importance taken of culture and heritage in modern conflicts fuelled by violent extremism and fundamentalist ideologies. It has shown how strongly fundamentalists are willing to destroy other Islamic cultures, and any other vision which differs from their own. Similar direct destruction of Islamic, pre-Islamic, Christian or Jewish heritage, has then been seen in Iraq and Syria. The need to restore heritage has become far more than a mere cultural issue – it has become a security issue, and a key component for the resilience and further cohesion of societies torn by conflicts.

At present, the monuments in Timbuktu are living heritage, closely associated with religious rituals and community gatherings. Their shape and form have always evolved over time both with annual cycles (that of the rain and the erosion of the plastering); that of regular maintenance (every three to five years); repairs of structural pathologies, often adding buttresses; and at times more important works, including extensions and raising of the roof structure. How to take that into account while trying to guide and assist the local people in their self-capacity, their resilience in keeping their heritage as they have done for over 600 years? What should be done and to what extent? Who should be responsible for what? These are tricky questions of heritage preservation, far beyond the mere inscription of a site on the famous World Heritage list.

Salt comes from north, gold from south and silver from the land of Whites, but the Word of God, the famous things, histories and fairy tales, we only find them in Timbuktu.

Preserving cultural identity and Korean traditions: The bond of living heritage

It’s the end of November in the countryside near Jeonju, the capital of the North Jeolla Province. The weather is getting chilly and winter is just a couple of weeks away.

It’s time to prepare for the long, icy-cold season. It’s time to make kimchi.

The Republic of Korea’s staple food is a side dish of salted and fermented vegetables that makes its appearance at every meal. It’s not just the country’s emblematic dish: its preparation ( kimjang ) is a community event.

Housewives monitor weather forecasts to determine the most favourable date and temperature for preparing kimchi. Entire families, friends and neighbours gather together to make it. The process is rather laborious and requires many hands to process the large quantities of vegetables required to last throughout the winter months. They all work together, exchange tips and tighten their relationships through kimjang. Families take turns making kimchi to form closer bonds.

Today, the entire village will get together in one of the houses for the occasion. Together, they will wash the napa cabbage that was pickled in salt the night before and mix in the seasonings that will give kimchi its unique sour-and-spicy flavour. The specific methods and ingredients are transmitted from mother to daughter so that kimjang culture is preserved through the generations.

Since 2013, kimjang has been included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as an important part of Korean culture, embodying the country’s cooperative and sharing team spirit. Kimjang is a vital cultural asset of a community and worth preserving and celebrating for the rest of humanity. Even though there may be regional differences in the preparation of kimchi, it transcends class, regional and even national borders.

Cultural practices often precede the instauration of national borders and the start of conflict among its citizens. Shared cultural practices may even be a path to reconciliation. 

Such hopes materialized in 2018, when the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea decided to work together to submit a joint submission for traditional wrestling as an element of UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Ssirum/Ssireum (wrestling) is a physical game and a popular form of entertainment widely enjoyed all across the Korean peninsula. In the North, two opponents try to push each other to the ground using a satpa (a fabric strap connecting the waist and leg), their torso, hands and legs. Ssirum/Ssireum is distinguished by the use of the satpa and the awarding of a bull to the winner. In the South, Ssirum/Ssireum is a type of wrestling in which two players wearing long fabric belts around their waists and one thigh grip their opponents’ belt and deploy various techniques to send them to the ground. The winner of the final game for adults is awarded an ox, symbolizing agricultural abundance, and the title of ‘Jangsa’.

As an approachable sport involving little risk of injury, Ssirum/Ssireum also offers a means to improve mental and physical health. Koreans are widely exposed to Ssirum/Ssireum traditions within their families and local communities: children learn the wrestling skills from family members; local communities hold annual open wrestling tournaments; its instruction is also provided in schools.

Following UNESCO’s mediation, the two States Parties agreed for their respective nomination files to be jointly examined by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in November 2018. UNESCO welcomed this initiative of regional cooperation and, through a historic decision, inscribed "Traditional Korean wrestling (Ssirum/Ssireum)" on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as a joint inscription from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea. While the Lists of the Convention include several examples of multinational nominations prepared by several States (from couscous to the art of falconry and the Mediterranean diet), the coming together of the two States Parties for the joint inscription of Korean traditional wrestling by the Committee is unprecedented. It marks a highly symbolic step on the road to inter-Korean reconciliation. It is also a victory for the longstanding and profound ties between both sides of the inter-Korean border, and for the role cultural diplomacy may have in international relations.

It was the time when the women would gather and gossip. There would be matchmaking. There would be some marriages that came about during the time of kimchi making.

Promoting culture in a post-COVID-19 world

The cultural and creative industries are among the fastest growing sectors in the world. With an estimated global worth of US$ 4.3 trillion per year, the culture sector now accounts for 6.1 per cent of the global economy. They generate annual revenues of US$ 2,250 billion and nearly 30 million jobs worldwide, employing more people aged 15 to 29 than any other sector. The cultural and creative industries have become essential for inclusive economic growth, reducing inequalities and achieving the goals set out in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

The adoption of the 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was a milestone in international cultural policy. Through this historic agreement, the global community formally recognized the dual nature, both cultural and economic, of contemporary cultural expressions produced by artists and cultural professionals. Shaping the design and implementation of policies and measures that support the creation, production, distribution of and access to cultural goods and services, the 2005 Convention is at the heart of the creative economy.

Recognizing the sovereign right of States Parties to maintain, adopt and implement policies to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expression, both nationally and internationally, the 2005 Convention supports governments and civil society in finding policy solutions for emerging challenges.

Based on human rights and fundamental freedoms, the 2005 Convention ultimately provides a new framework for informed, transparent and participatory systems of governance for culture.

A constant rethinking of culture and heritage

The history of UNESCO bears witness to the deep transformation of the concept of culture over the past decades. From global Conventions mostly dealing with building and stones in the 60’s and 70’s, the international cooperation opened new fronts for the protection and promotion of culture, including intangible cultural heritage, cultural diversity and creative economy. The definition of "culture" was spearheaded by the committee led by former UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuellar and the Mondiacult Conference in 1982. In 2022, the global Mondiacult conference is expected to take stock of progress made in the past 40 years in cultural policies, and re-imagine its future in a post-COVID-19 world.

Have a look at these World Heritage sites

The 30,000-kilometre-long road system was built by the Inca Empire across mountains, valleys, rainforests and deserts to link the Inca capital, Cuzco, with distant areas of the empire, from the Amazon to the Andes. Thanks to its sheer scale, Qhapaq Ñan is a unique achievement of engineering skills, highlighting the Incas' mastery of construction technology.

The granting of World Heritage status in 2019 has made its trail – which every year sees thousands of visitors on their way to the area’s archaeological sites such as Machu Picchu in Peru – eligible for much-needed restoration funds.

Borobudur Temple Compound

Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world and one of the great archaeological sites of Southeast Asia. This imposing Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, is located in central Java. It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m 2 . Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. The monument was restored with UNESCO's help in the 1970s.

Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan

This cultural landscape was simultaneously inscribed on the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2003. The property is in a fragile state of conservation, having suffered from abandonment, military action and dynamite explosions. Parts of the site are inaccessible due to the presence of anti-personnel mines.

Related items

• Lists and designations
• Intangible cultural heritage
• Intangible heritage
• Diversity of Cultural Expressions-2005 Convention
• Intangible Cultural Heritage-2003 Convention
• Underwater Cultural Heritage-2001 Convention
• World Heritage 1972 Convention
• Fight Illicit Trafficking-1970 Convention
• Armed Conflict and Heritage-1954 Convention
• Culture & Sustainable Development
• UNESCO Creative Cities Network

• Net Zero 2050
• Editor’s Choice
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The Importance in Preserving Our Cultural Heritage

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Preserving Culture, Heritage and Traditions in the 20th Century

10 Nov 2021 | Ateneo de Manila University

The 20th century has differentiated itself as a technological era. Where digital information propels further into the center of our society, more often than not we neglect our traditions. Publishing relevant cultural articles are important now more than ever as it gives us a clearer image as to our nation and world’s history. The value of literature and art amidst a technologically savvy age can put things in perspective and harmonize the two worlds. In response to this, the Ateneo De Manila University has created two journals namely Budhi and Kritika Kultura which can be considered platforms that encourage the preservation of cultural heritage.

Budhi is a world-renowned journal that treasures works dedicated to the subject of philosophy and all the other fields that intertwine with it like art, technology, social issues, religion, and history. Serving as a space for discourse on traditions from all around the Philippine archipelago, Budhi breaks and overcomes geographical borders by challenging us to think outside of our realm of knowledge with new and unique perspectives on humanities. On the other hand, Kritika Kultura is a collection of scholarly articles both local and international. Common themes in these journals revolve around contemporary issues on language, art, tradition, and society. Kritika Kultura’s main objective is to push the boundaries of traditional thinking by providing works that encompass conventional viewpoints. This contributes to a better understanding of the interconnectivity between Asian and Western countries.

Preserving cultural heritage through knowledge, ideas, language, history, and literature is essential. As citizens of the 21st generation, we have an obligation to protect the culture and heritage by keeping it relevant long after they were made. The two journals established by Ateneo de Manila University were developed as safeguarding measures to ensure that these important discourses can be passed on from one generation to another; keeping the legacy of our nation’s past alive.

Related links:

https://ajol.ateneo.edu/kk

https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/budhi/about

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"PRESERVATION OF TRADITIONAL ARTS IN ASIA"

This paper outlines a few practical observations concerning: " Preservation of the Traditional Arts " , based on experience working with tradition in the field of design. Initially it should be pointed out that in the traditional framework there was no distinction between " Arts " and " Crafts ". " Art " in traditional cultures was always linked to excellence in the design and fabrication of artefacts for practical usage. When one visits museums and admires the " traditional arts " from past generations, one is looking at artefacts with a function; the idea of " art for art's sake " is entirely foreign to a traditional perspective. Therefore when we discuss the " Preservation of Traditional Arts " , implicitly we are simultaneously discussing the preservation of the traditional crafts. It has been said that traditionally " …art was limited to either objects of ritual use or working tools and household objects, but even such tools and objects were, like the activities they implied, eminently symbolical and so connected with the realm of the sacred. " 1 Thus the traditional arts essentially fall within the realm of " Sacred Art ". This stands in stark contrast to the spirit underlying modern art, where the artist is generally driven by a desire for personal expression, for novelty – or what is falsely termed 'originality'. Consequently if one is concerned with their preservation, one must understand and respect the spirit underlying the traditional arts and crafts, from a technical, spiritual and intellectual point of view. The rules and principles that dictate traditional art were in the past safeguarded by a structure which protected their integrity and guaranteed their preservation. In traditional societies each distinct branch of the crafts was represented by a guild, which was the channel though which the artist or craftsman learnt his skill. These organizations were conscious of the sacred nature of the heritage that had come down to them from the past, and their role in preserving it and passing it on to future generations. In the absence of such institutions in the present age, academic institutions of higher learning have an important role to play in the preservation of the traditional arts – and this is indeed a matter of urgency, as we now live in an age in which industrial production and modern attitudes towards design threaten to force the traditional arts and crafts into extinction.

Related Papers

Tangible – Intangible Heritage(s) – Design, social and cultural critiques on the past, the present and the future

Özlem Karakul

The integration of lectures about art and craft education into the curricula of the departments of architecture and interior design has a great importance for grasping the relationship of craft and art with space and its sustainability through contemporary designs. The search for the conservation of the relationship between craft and architecture in the Anatolian building tradition and its sustainable aspects is also a subject having importance for the conservation of traditional craftsmanship. The integration of studio projects on the sustainability of crafts in traditional architecture through contemporary design into the curricula of the department of architecture and interior design also has great importance for the learning tradition and its revitalization. In this respect, through the studio projects, the use of traditional hand arts as particular contexts to be reinterpreted for the design of new buildings, interior design and furniture design is significant. The gaining knowledge and experience on traditional craft and art of students in architectural education provides developing their creativity and designing national and local contemporary designs for students. This paper aims to discuss the sustainability and revitalization of the relationship of art and craft with traditional architecture through contemporary designs by presenting an experience of an interior design studio focusing on designing specific ateliers for various artists and craftsmen in the department of interior design in Selçuk University.

Contemporary Educational Researches Journal (

CERJ Journal

In recent years, the traditional motifs and conceptual approach to the apparent authenticity of the design quality are observed which are used in many areas. In this way, the tradition established in the future synthesis has led to the formation of a free and original design. Thus, new ideas to new situations, new problems have emerged in the need to turn to different events and phenomena. This method and the proliferation of studies aimed at the promotion of Turkish cultural heritage undoubtedly will be at the forefront of higher quality products. The suggestions of 'interpreting the traditional designs' and the comprehension of what is 'traditional', as proposed by some academics and designers, are evaluated with a critical approach. The subject is examined within the frame of traditionalist suggestions offered from the time of the Ottomans till today, with the conceptions of the Western science, culture, art and design developed through the period of the Industrial Revolution. / Tel.: 0 (332) 241 00 41 Nas, E. (2018). The problematic of tradition and future in art and design education.

YUSUF CİVELEK

A short summary of the reaction of artists and architects to industrialization and capitalism in the West for a foundation of criticism of the "traditional arts" problem in Turkey.

Amy Skillman

Fulvio Lanzarone

Commission "Archaeology & Conservation 2/3" ABSTRACT: After stressing the importance of knowledge and listing the different phases regarding the preservation and valorisation of artistic heritage, the authors have analysed the inherent problems of preserving the integrity and identity of a particular object of cultural heritage, also from a legislative point of view (from national law n. 1089 of 1939 to the recent New Code for Cultural Heritage and Environment of 2004).

esthi nimita

ABSTRACTThis article discusses the concept of creating a work of art within a traditional framework. Therefore we need to understand how a work of art was created in the context of tradition, and the difference with the creation of art in the modern world. This article also a discourse on what is actually called a traditional art, and the distiction between traditional art and modern art. In this case, the example is a tradisional dance of Java. The choice is in the hand of the artist, or an art connoisseur nevertheless, through a deeper understanding of the traditional arts and how it was created, so a person may have perspective about life, and the conjunction with God.Keywords:Art, Traditional Art, Modern Art, Creation Process, Flow, TaksuABSTRAKArtikel ini membahas konsep penciptaan suatu karya seni, dalam lingkup seni tradisional. Persoalan yang diangkat mengenai perlunya kita memahami bagaimana sebuah karya seni itu diciptakan dalam konteks tradisi, dan apa bedanya dengan penc...

Craft, Technology and Design

As highlighted in the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the conservation of traditional craftsmanship necessitates providing an accurate documentation, transmission from generation to generation and the continuity of the practices carried out by practitioner craftsmen. The accuracy of documentation can be achieved by understanding craftsmanship holistically, considering both its tangible and intangible aspects. New technologies can play a significant role in the identification, documentation, preservation, promotion, and education of traditional craftsmanship with its different aspects holistically. The recent developments in documentation technology, especially digital technology, facilitate the accuracy of documentation and contribute to the achievement of holistic conservation. Furthermore, digital technology also facilitates understanding and training process of traditional craftsmanship both for the general public and apprentices of traditional craftsmanship. This study discusses the significance of the use of new technologies in the holistic documentation and conservation of traditional craftsmanship accepted as a domain of intangible cultural heritage, focusing particularly on building crafts.

Technological Arts Preservation

Selcuk Artut , Osman Serhat Karaman

It is with an increasing tendency that works of art produced with the help of technology (such as video, sound, image, code, virtual reality, augmented reality, kinetic, digital and physical hybridities), or that require technology to work (such as hardware or software) are being included into various art collections. How these artworks would be carried into the future considering the rapidly advancing technology becomes a conundrum for all cultural institutions responsible for conserving cultural heritage. As a response to these needs, The Technological Arts Preservation Project has come into existence with the cooperation of Sakıp Sabancı Museum and Sabancı University. The project was initiated on May 23, 2019 when Osman Serhat Karaman, Sakıp Sabancı Museum digitalSSM Archive and Research Space Manager, invited Selçuk Artut, faculty member of Sabancı University Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design Program to give a speech on the issue. The Technological Arts Preservation Project aims at cooperation and information-sharing between professionals from various disciplines and areas of expertise. Scholars, media theorists, researchers, digital art conservators, curators and artists, software engineers, and computer scientists from significant institutions such as INA (Institut national de l'audiovisuel), Rhizome, Tate Modern, ZKM have contributed to the research project that gained international status. Within the scope of the project between November 15, 2019 and November 20, 2020, nine conferences and a workshop have been conducted on the preservation of software-based art, preservation of virtual reality, media archaeology, net art and web archiving. Our aim in organizing these conferences and workshops was to contribute to the international research in carrying both digital art and digital culture into the future, to discuss the results of new research, and to develop new and interdisciplinary modes of cooperation. We have reached a total number of 2000 participants through these events we have organized within the scope of the project, continuing our efforts online due to the pandemic, beginning from May 2020. Presently, technological arts preservation is a common issue. Many problems such as erased digital photos, unrepairable, broken backup units, or records that would fall into oblivion due to discontinued media players now constitute a significant part of our daily lives. However, in terms of artworks, it is of vital importance that the matter should be handled with an interdisciplinary point of view within the context of preservation of cultural values. The book you have in front of you was prepared with great care and in awareness of the aforementioned responsibilities. Bringing together esteemed scholars, leading figures in arts and culture, artists as well as scientists, all expert names in their respective fields, this study includes comprehensive texts approaching the issue from different points of view. Consisting of three sections, the first part of the publication includes in-depth essays, the second part brings together content created based on the events we have conducted, and lastly, the third part chronicles answers of the artists to a questionnaire on the preservation of their work. We hope that this book will constitute a well-rounded source for those who have a sensibility for the very cultural values that make us human and how they may be carried into the future; we sincerely hope it will light the way for similar studies in the future.

Raffaele Martini Pandozy

This is a study of more than 3,000 pages, 12 Chapters, that took about 45 years to write. The author had to research many fields of knowledge: philosophy, (phenomenology, ethics and linguistics in particular), psychology, (cognitive and developmental in particular) sociology, anthropology, science (neurology, genetics and microbiology in particular) thus it is truly an interdisciplinary approach intended to correct many fallacies that are erected and preserved institutionally in the history of art. In practice, these fallacies dispalce human energies, human resources, and tax-payers money for they confuse the criteria for allocating governmental resources, such as the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities. The purpose is to open the field of possibilities for the creative mind, provide opportunities for artist to pay attention to the reality of the world,place their consciousness onto the right endeavors, make art that will improve human values and help change the world. and for the government, invest money on the true creative potential values that serve the genetic intelligence of the human species.

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In some countries, traditional art is in facing extinction. Some people think that governments should spend some public money on its preservation. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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Preserving Your Culture and Traditions: Tips for Sharing Your Heritage

Last Updated: June 14, 2024 Fact Checked

Participating in Cultural Traditions

Creating a cultural record, sharing your culture, expert interview, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Melissa Matos and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Dr. Melissa Matos is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Long Beach, California. With over ten years of experience, she specializes in rehabilitation psychology and helping individuals adapt and thrive while living with a chronic health condition or disability. She has presented nationally on the psychological aspects of living with chronic health conditions including social stigma and concealment in apparent and non-apparent differences. She was also recently featured in Bald Life magazine where she discussed mental health awareness and alopecia areata. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University, Los Angeles, her MA in Psychology from Chapman University, and her BA in Psychology from California State University-Fullerton. Dr. Matos is a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist and is licensed to practice psychology in California. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and Division 22 Rehabilitation Psychology of the American Psychological Association. She is also listed in the National Register as a Health Service Provider in Psychology. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 746,666 times.

Your culture is a huge part of who you are and the way you see the world. When you live in a place where your culture is the mainstream culture, you likely don't have to put much effort into preserving it—it's all around you! But what happens if you move to another country or when younger generations lose contact with older generations? If you don't actively preserve your culture, you risk losing the art, traditions, food, and language that give life meaning. Read on to find out what you can do to keep your culture alive.

How do I help conserve my culture?

Participate in cultural events and traditions or organize your own events to share your culture with others outside of it. You can also cook family recipes to get in touch with your culture through all 5 senses, and even learn to speak your culture's ancestral language.

• While this does relate to art you might find in a museum, material culture goes far beyond that. Even a basic kitchen spoon or video game could be considered a cultural artifact.
• You can even learn things from less sophisticated technology. Cultures pass on tools adapted to their specific environment over generations. For example, even shaping a stone tool , as simple as it may seem, requires great skill and knowledge.

• Even if you don't recognize some of the dishes, a lot of them could be your favorite comfort food or a source of family pride.
• Don't have family recipes? Write your own! Look for old cookbooks online or at flea markets, or write down ingredients and directions based on a dish handed down orally through generations.

• Compare conversations you have within your culture to those in the mainstream culture where you live. Does one feel more energetic or friendly than the other? Would a normal statement in one culture be considered rude in another? [4] X Research source
• Understanding the differences in communication between different cultures helps you get to the core of your cultural experience so you can share it with others.

• Sacred texts and ceremonies can seem confusing with no one there to guide you. Find an expert willing to explain their significance or read a copy of the text with annotations.

• Many languages are at risk of extinction. If you know a rare or endangered language, do what you can to teach it to others. Share examples of the knowledge and perspective that would be lost if the language went away.
• Record the language in speech and writing or work on translations from your ancestral language to more common and widely-spoken languages so that your traditions can be preserved.

• For example, you might write a personal history of your own lived experience or that of a family member.
• A detailed look at a specific aspect of your culture, such as cooking, jokes, myths, specific festivals, or clothing can also be an interesting project.

• Explore intellectual property protection related to your medium to better protect and preserve your cultural legacy. For example, traditional fabric or clothing patterns can be copyrighted.

• Try to keep the interview to an hour or two, unless the person is willing to go for longer.
• Use a video or audio recorder (with permission from the person you're interviewing) so you're better able to capture quotes and other nuances, such as tone and body language.

• Ask family for scrapbooks, journals, and other documents early on. You might discover that someone else has started working on a family tree already!
• Government websites and physical record collections can offer additional information about family members going back centuries.

• Social media allows you to connect with people from all over the world. This is especially helpful if you've moved to a different country or are studying abroad because you can connect with people from your home country.
• Don't forget to make your own content as well! For example, if you play a traditional instrument, you could upload videos of yourself playing both pop and traditional music.

• If you've moved to a country where your culture is a minority, it's also likely you'll encounter people who have the same ancestral background as you but don't know a lot about their cultural traditions.
• Interacting with others, whether they share your culture or not, is a great way to keep your culture alive and relevant in society.

• If there are members of your cultural community who live near you, you might volunteer to help them by translating documents they need to read or fill out. Reach out to your local community center or library to find out how to get started.

• Talk to someone in the student organization that oversees clubs to see what your school's requirements are to have a club recognized. Then, post fliers or talk to someone at the school newspaper to help get the word out.
• If there's a broader club that you might fit into, join that and represent your culture within it. For example, if your school has a Latinx club, you might join that to help raise awareness for your Aztec roots.

• If you’re an art student or artist, you have a key role in promoting and preserving culture through the arts. Art has an impact on how we all view and recall social developments. Your work can preserve history and culture, and it can help represent or even shape society’s outlook on shared events. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Almost everyone participates in more than one culture. Be proud of your blend of ideas and behaviors. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Traditions can be celebrated in any way that feels meaningful to each person within their respective culture. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about keeping your culture alive, check out our in-depth interview with Melissa Matos .

• ↑ https://borderzine.com/2019/03/how-to-stay-connected-to-your-culture-when-far-from-home/
• ↑ https://cec.vcn.bc.ca/cmp/modules/emp-cul.htm
• ↑ https://www.pbs.org/ampu/crosscult.html
• ↑ https://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/CoursePack/culture.htm
• ↑ http://news.unm.edu/news/saving-a-language-preserving-a-culture
• ↑ https://cec.vcn.bc.ca/cmp/modules/emp-pre.htm
• ↑ https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_1048.pdf
• ↑ https://folklife.si.edu/the-smithsonian-folklife-and-oral-history-interviewing-guide/the-interview/smithsonian
• ↑ https://www.nicwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Tracing-Your-Native-Ancestry-2019-Final.pdf
• ↑ https://growingupbilingual.com/how-has-social-media-allows-me-to-share-my-culture-with-others/
• ↑ https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/importance-of-cultural-diversity-in-classroom/
• ↑ https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/OMA/studentgroups

About This Article

If you want to preserve your culture, start by learning its religious traditions since religion is strongly linked to language and culture. You should also try to learn your ancestral language if you can find someone to teach you. Then, start cooking some of your family’s recipes to bring back memories and call attention to how much things have changed. To make all of this more fun and engaging, spend time with other community members and attend major events for your group. Keep reading to learn how to effectively teach others about your culture! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Cultural Preservation and Protection

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• Mason Durie 2  

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Cultural sustainability

Cultural preservation and protection is a major concern for indigenous peoples who have become minorities in their own lands. Dispossession of material resources such as land and forests has often been accompanied by loss of cultural resources including language, histories, art forms and intellectual knowledge. Retaining and safeguarding culture for future generations has therefore become an urgent matter especially in the face of globalization and the inevitable attrition of older generations who have served as the carriers of culture.

While the preservation and protection of indigenous culture is largely a function of indigenous peoples themselves, there are also implications for states and public agencies, including those within the health sector. Cultural restoration and transmission is not only justified for reasons of heritage, aesthetics and history, but also because cultural methodologies provide a basis for the acquisition and...

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Battiste M (ed) (2000) Reclaiming Indigenous Voice and Vision. UBC Press, Vancouver

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Mãori Research and Development, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Mason Durie

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Network EUROlifestyle Research Association Public Health Saxony-Saxony Anhalt e.V. Medical Faculty, University of Technology, Fiedlerstr. 27, 01307, Dresden, Germany

Wilhelm Kirch ( Professor Dr. Dr. ) ( Professor Dr. Dr. )

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Durie, M. (2008). Cultural Preservation and Protection . In: Kirch, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Public Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_634

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_634

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Print ISBN : 978-1-4020-5613-0

Online ISBN : 978-1-4020-5614-7

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