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URBAN SOCIETY | Culture
and identity
This section, focusing on
work accomplished in order to enhance culture & identity,
includes innovative programmes in cultural heritage, arts
and celebrations, conservation of historic buildings as
cultural patrimony, and mobilisation around cultural practices
for generating economic opportunities and community cohesion.
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local level
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UN-Habitat (2002) - Best Practice - Indigenous Local
Development Program, Abra Pampa - [pdf]
Argentina - The aim of the initiative
is to allow all coyas/ aborigines to live with dignity,
like our ancestors did based on our own work and labor.
It is necessary to widen the capacity of individuals, leaders
and organizations so that they are able to fulfill their
own economical, political and cultural aspirations so that
this aim can be achieved.
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city level
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UN-Habitat (2002) - Best Practice - Historical
evaluation and protection of Buildings in St.Geoge's [pdf]
Grenada - The main objectives of this
project were firstly, to produce a list comprising the buildings
of major architectural, political, cultural and historical
significance in the town of St. George's. The study focused
on a description of physical appearance, age and uses (both
past and present) of such buildings. In order to preserve
them, there needs to be adequate protective legislation.The
second objective was to draft "the Preservation of
Historic Buildings, Monuments and Sites Act and Regulations".
The draft explains the rationale for listing the buildings.
It provides guidelines for work to be done on them, be it
restoration, repair, extension and demolition. Penalties
for infringements are also incorporated into the draft.
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UN-Habitat (2002) - Best Practice - The Protection and
Upgrading of the Ancient City of Suzhou [pdf]
China - It is not easy to upgrade an
ancient city. How to combine the modernization of a city
with the protection of its ancient architectural and cultural
heritage is both a matter of local and international concern.
Fully aware of these difficulties, Suzhou Municipal Government
initiated a project geared towards the prudent yet rapid
expansion and modernization of the city.
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UN-Habitat (2002) - Best Practice - Protection and
Rehabilitation of the Historical World Heritage, Santiago,
[pdf]
Spain - Since the early nineties Santiago
de Compostela has been facing the challenge of the urban
restoration and environmental regeneration of its historical
World Heritage City. In addition to other national and international
prizes, The European Commission and the European Council
of Town Planners awarded the town planning initiative the
1997-98 European Town Planning Prize. In the framework of
a complex town planning policy, urban restoration pays special
attention to two important problems in today's historical
cities: the preservation of residential usage with the improvement
of the population's housing conditions and the environmental
regeneration of free spaces that have survived in a marginal
state.
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UN-Habitat (2002) - Best Practice - Instrumental Group
and Chorus Andes Music Embassy, Tilcara [pdf]
Argentina - The Embajada Musical Andina
(EMA) is an instrumental group and chorus formed by children
and youth from Antofagasta (chile), Tilcara y San Salvador
de Jujuy (Argentina) and Cochabamba (Bolivia) that has been
working for cultural integration through music since 1993.
This get-together awakens and models the huge range of feelings
particular to adolescents, accentuated by the different
cultures.
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UN-Habitat (2002) - Best Practice - Enjoying the museum:
A peace project in times of war, Medellin [pdf]
Colombia - Every day, as we face the crudeness
of a violent country, where social injustice produces all
kinds of exclusions, we ask ourselves how we can change
this reality. We at the Museo de Antioquia understand that
the first step is to fulfill our social duty. Being so fortunate
as to have the opportunity to hold this valuable community
heritage, we have come to realize that our duty requires
that we put this heritage into service for the integral
development of the community.
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UN-Habitat (2002) - Best Practice - Recovery of Traditional
Houses in a City of Cultural Patrimony for the Humanity
[pdf]
Venezuela - A wide process of plural participation,
with the involvement of academic sectors, civil society
representatives of communities of the Historical Centers
of Coro and La Vela, with the active administration of the
government organizations from the Falcon State and the Republic
of Venezuela, led to the incorporation of the cities into
UNESCO's list of the Cultural Patrimony of the Humanity.
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international level
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Lanchet, Walter (1999) - World Heritage - URBAMA
/ March 1999 ESF/N-AERUS Workshop [pdf]
My contribution centres on research on the origin, meaning
and applications of the concept or paradigm of "World
Heritage" underlying the new orthodoxy of cultural
globalization. I will show how dependent and professional
thinking has influenced conventional wisdom laid down by
international institutions, such as UNESCO; I will also
examine the role of researchers and practitioners. What
results can there be on the World Heritage Convention, and
especially on the protection of cultural property conservation
and the highlighting of practice? What is the Convention's
effectiveness regarding the World Heritage List ? Other
approaches involve a selective perception: doesn't the list
integrate some editorial and mediatic approaches in assimilating
just one "heritage" with its possible touristic
attraction? The List has become a list of the world's wonders:
What is the Convention's credibility in view of the influence
of the media?
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![DFID](../images/main/dfid2.gif) |
Documents highlighting DFID's published
work in support of cultural identity in urban areas: |
"Recovering Historic
Treasures in Quito" - Allen, Adriana;
Nicholas You (2002) – Sustainable Urbanisation:
Bridging the Green and Brown Agendas –
DPU [pdf]
Ecuador - In Quito, Ecuador, a
process is underway to preserve and rehabilitate the
historic centre as a cultural
treasure, restore its commercial importance, and foster
the appropriate use and maintenance of its public
and private buildings, making them more attractive
to residents.
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"Conserving Urban Cultural
Heritage Bhaktapur" - Wakely, Patrick; Nicholas
You (2001) – Implementing the Habitat Agenda:
In Search of Urban Sustainability - DPU [pdf]
Nepal - Urban cultural heritage
conservation work is more effective if it both involves
local people in decision making about what work should
be done and how, and it also helps to meet local people's
needs, in
addition to conserving the built environment and generating
revenue.
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"Rehabilitating the Old City of Aleppo"
- Ibid. [pdf]
Syria - A holistic and participatory
approach to the regeneration and restoration of the
old city of Aleppo is designed to create a vibrant
and 'living' city at the same time as conserving its
architectural heritage.
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"Traditional
Culture Media in Lamu" - Ibid. [pdf]
Kenya - Low levels of awareness
about civic rights and governance are barriers to
effective urban and regional development. The Tawasal
Foundation is using traditional Swahili poetry and
song to increase civic awareness, enhance community
participation and strengthen civil society in Lamu,
Kenya.
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