Cultural Mapping

Background

UNESCO defines Culture as “the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills-as well as the instruments , objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith- that communities, groups and in some cases, individuals  recognize as part of their cultural heritage. This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity”

Cultural is complex and multifaceted. In very broad terms, cultural covers the social structure, languages, belief systems, institutions, technology, building skills, art crafts, foods and traditions of particular group of people, community of a geographic area. Cultural is used to define a community’s way of life, as well as to define the material goods it creates and uses, the skills it has developed and the behavior it transmits to each successive generation. This distinctive way of life is reflected in land-use practices, economic activities, organization and the layout of settlements, attitudes toward the role of women in society, educational systems and observance of traditional customs and holidays. These ways of life result in landscapes and settlements with a very unique and distinctive appearance.

Project Aim

The fundamental goal of the Cultural Mapping is to help communities recognize, celebrate and support cultural diversity for economic, social and regional development. Such a mapping helps to record, conserve and further use the mapped elements for revitalization of the heritage cities.

Objective

Cultural Mapping can shape belief systems, direction of education, media, tourism, community development, planning and creative industries, which in turn influence a visitor’s perception of the area. Cultural mapping therefore, is used in both a literal and metaphorical sense, where it goes beyond strict cartography to include not only land, but also other cultural resources and information recorded by alternative techniques.

Broadly speaking, Cultural Mapping can be used to improve cultural resource management in the fields of Impact Assessment Studies, Planning, Establishing Development Controls, and Facilities Management.

The objectives of this project therefore are:

• To protect and promote cultural diversity, one of the roots of sustainable human development, through ensuring inclusion and participation of communities in identification and management of their heritage.

• To empower communities to manage their heritage resources in an appreciate and sustainable way, through awareness raising and socio-economic valorization of heritage.

• To alleviate poverty through increased employment opportunities and income generation based on sustainable exploitation of heritage resources for community based cultural tourism.