Twenty years since the Faro Convention

Abstract

Now that we are celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Contemporary Society, signed in October 2005, it is imperative to consider cultural heritage in the context of its direct relationship with people and communities, so as to give effective priority to people’s culture, memory and creativity. Karl Jaspers referred to Europe as synonymous with freedom, history and science. Freedom, as victory over arbitrariness, because wewant it when we know we do not have it. History as knowledge of society. Science as accurate and open knowledge. The innovative concept of cultural heritage encompasses tangible heritage, monuments and documents; intangible heritage, traditions and customs; natural and landscape heritage; digital heritage and contemporary creation. The Convention is the most modern treatment of the subject, incorporating the best contributions, such as UNESCO’s notion of intangible heritage. The notion of common European heritage is an essential factor in contributing to peace, social cohesion and cultural, educational and scientific progress.