Respect the role of community in protecting heritage values

Not only now but also in the future, the community still plays an important role in protecting heritage. According to analysts, there are two models for exploiting heritage with community participation. That is the model of exploiting and promoting heritage as a resource for development or the model of a millennium heritage city where heritage and the subject community play a central role, leading all development strategies and practices.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Quynh Phuong, School of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Arts, said that one of the core aspects of the "heritage-led development" model is the central role of communities associated with heritage. Although the community plays an important role in both models, the level and method of participation are different. In the heritage-based development model, heritage plays a role as a complementary resource for other areas such as tourism, education and economy. The community participates through activities to preserve and promote heritage values ​​and contribute to related socio-economic activities. In contrast, in the heritage-led development model, the community is not only a participant but also plays the role of the subject, deciding on the direction and method of exploiting heritage to promote sustainable development. This means that local communities are empowered to identify, preserve and manage their heritage, ensuring that heritage-based development brings practical and long-term benefits to themselves. Therefore, the heritage-led development model can be seen as a strategic tool to stimulate innovation, linking heritage values ​​with sustainable development goals. When “heritage leads development”, it will contribute to nurturing mental health and promoting the quality of life of the entire city. A synchronous and creative strategy will help Ninh Binh affirm its distinct position in the overall picture of developing cultural and tourism industries nationally and internationally.

Also appreciating the role of the community in preserving and promoting heritage, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Tuan, Phuong Dong University analyzed: “We know that the development formula is measured by the total value of technology and resources. If one value increases while the other decreases, it will not create new growth or development. Currently, it is showing that although technology is increasingly strong, resources are depleted every year, so the scale of development is always limited and has not achieved sustainable growth. In this context, should we return to what we have forgotten to pursue technology, which is the indigenous experience in planning and organizing new living models, sustainable settlement spaces, village-town structures associated with the humane and friendly lifestyle of the Vietnamese people. Perhaps, in the new context, it is necessary to integrate new values ​​with higher surplus into the value chain in development, integrating characteristic elements to both consolidate and affirm existing identities and create identities. new. We need to find a “formula” that cleverly combines the values ​​of natural landscapes, forest ecosystems, geological formations, diverse wetland vegetation, and ancient cultural relics to harmonize the wonders, mysteries, and majesty of the natural world with new development requirements. The long-term “development capital” that nature and previous generations have left for the future of Ninh Binh people needs to be managed, used wisely, and responsibly.”

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/coi-trong-vai-tro-cong-dong-trong-bao-ve-gia-tri-di-san-820448