BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. It is necessary to address the issue of expanding cultural heritage while involving the local community in the process, the founder of the Library of Alexandria, former World Bank vice president, and cultural expert, Ismail Serageldin, said, Trend reports.
He made the statement at the event “Rethinking Cultural Heritage and Inclusive Urban Regeneration,” organized as part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum in Baku, Trend reports.
According to him, when it comes to historic sites in developing cities, four questions must first be answered:
“What should we preserve, how, for whom, and what are we protecting? Historic sites, all buildings, or the character of the city as a whole? Preservation must take into account future residents, visiting tourists, and the international community.
Here, physical, economic, social, and environmental aspects must be taken into account. Preserving the character of these elements is very important. We must be able to do this while maintaining interaction among people. We need to engage local communities and private investors. It is important to minimize the displacement of the local population.”
Cost-benefit analyses sometimes lead to mistakes in the field of cultural heritage preservation. For example, an excessive focus on revenue from tourism does not yield good results. Therefore, a specific conceptual framework is necessary. It is essential to address the issue of expanding cultural heritage while involving the local community in the process. The integration of cultural heritage is possible. It has made it possible to protect historic cities.
Today, the fourth day of the WUF13 conference is taking place in Baku.
The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and Azerbaijani flags also took place.
The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit, featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and sustainable transport.
WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,” the forum brings together governments, international organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development.
