“A people's relationship to their heritage is the same as the relationship of a child to its mother.” - John Henrik Clarke Across the globe there is an urgent concern to conserve, preserve, and present the heritage in as pious a form as possible. Governments all over are making discrete or mutual efforts to interpret, aware, sensitize, and educate the citizens with the heritage. It has been observed that globally the alarm has begun about how to safely transmit the legacy of yesteryears to the future generations to come. Broadly speaking, heritage is not yours or not mine...it's everyone's, and for everyone. Considering this in mind, major steps have been taken time to time educate and sensitize about one's heritage. These steps sometimes were structured but mostly instructed leading to non-impactful results. This chapter deals with the ideas, ideologies, concepts, schemes, and initiatives undertaken at various levels across globe to Edu-liaison Heritage.
TopIntroduction
Heritage is the word derived from inheritance and age; therefore, combination of “herit” and “age” together builds heritage which is most commonly known as legacy passed from a generation to another.
Heritage, the word gets its origin from the French word ‘heriter’ which means ‘to inherit’. It is considered as something that the current generation inherit from the past generations. Heritage, therefore, refers to a range from concepts to castles, from buildings to beliefs, from sites to societies so on and so forth. It can be anything from solid to ethereal that have been the part of the of the human lifestyle from time out of mind. Like art, craft, rituals, forts, attire, language, palaces, step wells, dance, drama, song, folklores, etc. all these constitute heritage. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has described heritage as something from the past that we live with today. UNESCO World Heritage Convention (n.d.) defined Heritage as:
Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspirations.
The national heritage resource act state that-
Our heritage is unique and precious, and it cannot be renewed. It helps us to define our cultural identity and therefore lies at the heart of our spiritual well-being and the power to build our nation. It has the potential to affirm our diverse culture and in so doing shape our national character.
In 1972, the general conference of UNESCO adopted a resolution; the main objective of which was to enlist sites & monuments, cultural and natural site as well. The list of recorded site in India is 40 out of which 32 are cultural properties & seven are natural properties and one mixed heritage site.
In 2002, during the United Nations year for cultural heritage UNESCO produced a list of “types of” cultural heritage to divide and categorise the many types of objects, place and practice to which people attribute Heritage value.
According to Article 49 of Constitution of India it shall be the obligation of the state to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interest (declared by or under law made by Parliament) to be of national importance from exploitation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export as the case may be.
Above definition, makes it clear to understand that any object of creative or historic importance transmitted from one generation to another is heritage. Heritage is part of each one of us in some way or other. It spreads in life by various means like traditions, rituals, recipes, temples, monuments, customs, attire, archaeological sites, languages, dances, songs etc. Heritage is everywhere and surrounds everyone. Heritage includes much more than just these terms; few parts and parcels of heritage are conservation, preservation, restoration, excavation, displaying, exhibition etc.
Heritage leads to manifested development and outcomes. It gives opportunity to interact, create link, build dialogue, protect culture, preserve authenticity, social identity, study of past, interpretation of past into present, national and international integration etc.
In broader sense, heritage is not only a present-day representation/ interpretation of past but is rather invigoration a bridge to the nation’s identity. Heritage is a cycle which is continuously generated, regenerated, interpreted and constructed to satisfy the need of hour. More than interpretation, it is the essence of life. It needs to be constantly re-evaluated, repositioned and reserved for generation to come and feel the essence of it.
Heritage according to Salazar (2010) is on the domestic level, Cultural heritage is commonly used to stimulate pride in the national history or to highlight the virtues of particular ideologies. In the super national sphere, heritage sites are marketed and sold as iconic markers of local area, country, region or even continent and the journey abroad is an opportunity to learn about the “other” some go as far as promising a contribution to worldwide peace and understanding.
According to Ashworth & Tunbridge (2012), as heritage is a demand- derived set of contemporary uses constructed as required than the resources of which it is composed, have no limit other than the limits of the human’s creative imagination. There can be no question of resources shortage or depletion; the resources are ubiquitous and can be created according to the demand for it.