28/05/2014 – Kazerne Dossin Mechelen Rob Belemans Ph. D.

28/05/2014 – Kazerne Dossin Mechelen

Rob Belemans Ph. D.

Communities as shareholding

(re-)creatorsof landscape as their

heritage

FARO = the Flemish Interface Centre for Cultural Heritage

(in)tangible - immovable as non-profit NGO a network organization in the cultural heritage field in Flanders

faro is also:

• a Brussels beer• a pokerlike card play in the Far West• the capital of the Algarve region in the south of Portugal

THE ELC FROM AN INTANGIBLE HERITAGE VIEWPOINT

Landscape = “an area as perceived by people” “result of action and interaction of natural

and/or human factors

=> a participative, non-essentialistic definition

People change their environment into a landscape by perceiving it as part of their cultural heritage

THE SHIFT

Cultural heritage and landscapeCultural heritage in landscape

Landscape heritage

Landscape as cultural heritage

A NEVER ENDING DYNAMIC PROCES

Dynamic proces of community building :

Group identities

valueing & taking care (safeguarding) of the environment as part of the common heritage by adapting it for lasting intergenerational transmission

COUNCIL OF EUROPE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON THE VALUE OF CULTURAL

HERITAGE FOR SOCIETY (2005)For the purposes of this Convention,

A) cultural heritage is a group of resources inherited from the past which people identify,

independently of ownership, as a reflection and expression of their constantly evolving

values, beliefs, knowledge and traditions. It includes all aspects of the environment

resulting from the interaction between people and places through time;

B) a heritage community consists of people who value specific aspects of cultural

heritage which they wish, within the framework of public action, to sustain and transmit

to future generations.”

LANDSCAPE AS ICH perception & values are intangible a community is intangible

common problems in safeguarding:

how to keep heritage dynamic vs. folklorisation Interaction with tourism/economy Strategies for local/regional action in a context of

globalisation PARTICIPATION

FLEMISH ICH POLICY

Inspired by the Unesco Convention for safeguarding the ICH (2006) & the Faro Convention

In 2010 the Flemish minister for culture published her vision tekst on ICH policy

ICH POLICY IN FLANDERS

1. The Flemish governmentcultivates 3 roles:- Conducting a facilitating (not a directive /

restrictive) policy- Quality controlling & moderation of the ICH-

network in Flanders- Stimulating international policy making &

cooperation (f.i. Flemish Trust Fund)

ICH POLICY IN FLANDERS

2. The ICH-networkConsists of:- different types of heritage organisations

- professionals & volunteers- “national” – regional – local- subventioned & self supporting

- all kinds of ICH-communities

FARO supports the network

ICH POLICY IN FLANDERS3. The ICH-platform - medium for contact & interchange between all participants in the ICH- network

- Contains also information on the Flemish Inventory

- the ‘place’ where ICH-communities describe their heritage element & make inforamtion about it available to the public

ICH POLICY IN FLANDERS4. ICH-communities

- define their own ICH-element(s)

- descibe the dynamic way they are dealing with it and try to safeguard it

- consult professional organisations to get advise, support to develop their safeguarding plans & adapt their ICH to new requirements

- share their experiences with other communities in Flanders & abroad

BRIDGING THE GAP

between all types of heritage:• immovable – tangible – intangible

between heritage policy and safeguarding communities

we are/could become the bridge !

‘A POLICY FOR ICH IN FLANDERS’

“A heritage community consists of people and

organisations who value specific aspects of

cultural heritage which they wish, within the

framework of public action, to sustain and

transmit to future generations.”

PROFESSIONALS / EXPERTS / SCOLARS

We are / could become the bridge,IF

we dare to understand our role in a more modest, facilitating, not directive way

we take communities serious in their concerns to safeguard their heritage by adapting it and passing it trough to the next generation

GO-BETWEENS, CONNECTORS, HERITAGE BROKERS