According to the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, Faro 2005, a heritage community is composed by individuals who value and wish to pass on specific aspects of cultural heritage.
It can result in a group identity which proves to be more than just the sum of the individuals. They do not require action, nor be attached to any tangible asset to be considered HC, but some develop into a consolidated group with a stable cultural activity and committed to a territory or certain cultural goods.
Their activity runs in a “bottom up” or “middle way” dynamic, which distinguishes itself from the traditional heritage management of the Public Institutions, which flows in a “top down” manner.
The heritage they value and preserve is more connected to the people than to power
Industrial Heritage can be a subject for Heritage Communities:
These heritage communities can and should represent the “Bottom up” management for the conservation, interpretation and opening to the public of our common (industrial) heritage - also when preparing and running the European Heritage Days
read: The document on EHD Heritage Communities |