The Venice Charter – between protection and socially useful purpose.

Examples of World Heritage Cities in Germany and Poland

Iuliia Eremenko

i.eremenko@uw.edu.pl
University of Warsaw (Poland)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8024-6611

Tymoteusz Kraski


University of Warsaw (Poland)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9047-4469

Abstract

The principles of the Venice Charter are still invoked worldwide as a crucial reference point in discussions and practices related to heritage preservation. However, the Charter’s lack of clarity in defining stakeholders and procedural steps raises significant issues about who has the authority to determine the appropriateness of new functions for monuments. This deficiency can lead to decision-making that might not fully consider the diverse cultural values and historical significance of the sites, potentially resulting in conservation outcomes that are more economically than socially driven. This paper examines how national and international conservation policies have expanded upon the Venice Charter to address social participation and the concept of "socially useful purposes" in World Heritage site management. Focusing on Germany and Poland World Heritage cities, the study explores how national and international guidelines have expanded upon the Venice Charter to incorporate social participation and the concept of "socially useful purposes" in the management of World Heritage sites. It delves into the role of Site Management Plans as dynamic documents that have evolved from strict preservation frameworks to policies encompassing social participation, thereby enhancing community engagement and meeting a broader spectrum of conservation needs and stakeholder interests.


Keywords:

cultural heritage, Venice Charter, adaptation of historic monuments and sites, participation

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Published
2024-10-04

Cited by

Eremenko, I., & Kraski, T. (2024). The Venice Charter – between protection and socially useful purpose.: Examples of World Heritage Cities in Germany and Poland. Protection of Cultural Heritage, (20), 21–31. https://doi.org/10.35784/odk.6161

Authors

Iuliia Eremenko 
i.eremenko@uw.edu.pl
University of Warsaw Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8024-6611

Dr Iuliia Eremenko is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw. She is a Principal Investigator of the “Local Experts in Polish and German World Heritage Cities: Understanding their Role in Polycentric Governance of Heritage Sites” research project.


Authors

Tymoteusz Kraski 

University of Warsaw Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9047-4469

Tymoteusz Kraski is a doctoral candidate at the Doctoral School of Social Sciences at the University of Warsaw. He is a PhD scholar in the “Local Experts in Polish and German World Heritage Cities: Understanding their Role in Polycentric Governance of Heritage Sites” research project at the University of Warsaw.



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