TheParisDeclaration

Onheritageasadriverofdevelopment
AdoptedatParis,UNESCOheadquarters,onThursday1stDecember2011

Preamble

The1150participantsfrom106countriesgatheredinParisattheUNESCOheadquartersattheinvitation
ofICOMOSFrancefrom28Novemberto1December2011ontheoccasionofthe17thGeneral
AssemblyoftheInternationalCouncilonMonumentsandSites(ICOMOS)adoptthisDeclarationof
PrinciplesandRecommendationsontherelationshipbetweenheritageanddevelopment,tobeviewed
asanassettoheritageconservation,tothedisseminationofitsinherentvalues,andtothecultural,
socialandeconomicdevelopmentofcommunities.ThisDeclarationandtherecommendationsare
addressedtostakeholdersinvolvedinheritageconservation,developmentandtourism,andmore
especiallytoStates,localauthorities,internationalinstitutions,theUnitedNationsagenciesandUNESCO
inparticular,aswellastorelevantcivilsocietyassociations.

ThisDeclarationformspartofaseriesofinitiativesandactionsthathavebeenundertakenbyICOMOS
overmanyyearsinordertopromoteadevelopmentprocessthatincorporatestangibleandintangible
culturalheritageasavitalaspectofsustainability,andgivesahumanfacetodevelopment.Ofparticular
noteistheICOMOSconferenceheldatMoscowandSuzdalinRussia(1978),onthethemeofThe
ProtectionofHistoricalCitiesandHistoricalQuartersintheFrameworkofUrbanDevelopment.Oneof
itssubthemeswasHistoricalMonumentsasaSupporttoEconomicandSocialDevelopment,which
showsthat,33yearsago,ourorganisationhadalreadybeguntoreflectontherelationshipbetween
heritageanddevelopment.ThescientificsymposiumentitledNoPast,NoFuture,attheSixthGeneral
AssemblyofICOMOSinItalyandthescientificsymposiumonTheWiseUseofHeritageheldinMexico
in1999furtherexploredthesubject.TheworkandreportsofNara(1997),Xi'an(2005)andQuebec
(2008)helpedtodeveloptheheritageconceptsofauthenticity,contextandspiritofplace.An
importantstephasbeentheworkofICOMOSindevelopingChartersthathavebecomeinternational
benchmarks,especiallyforUNESCOanditsMemberStates.OfparticularnotearetheICOMOS
InternationalCulturalTourismCharterdevelopedin1977andupdatedin1999,theICOMOSCharteron
CulturalRoutesadoptedbyICOMOSin2008andtheICOMOSCharterfortheInterpretationand
PresentationofCulturalHeritageSites,whichwasalsoadoptedin2008.

Whythistheme?
Theeffectsofglobalisationonsocietiesaremanifestedintheattritionoftheirvalues,identitiesand
culturaldiversity,andoftheirtangibleandintangibleheritage,inthebroadestsense.Therefore,the
relationshipbetweendevelopmentandheritagemustbeexamined.

ConcernsrevolvingaroundheritageanddevelopmentarealsoechoedinthethemethatUNESCOhas
chosentocelebratethe40thanniversaryoftheWorldHeritageConventioninKyotoin2012,World
HeritageandSustainableDevelopment:theRoleofLocalCommunities.

Thisaimsfirsttomeasuretheeffectsofglobalisationoncommunitiesandheritage.Itwillthenidentify
theactionsneedednotonlytoprotectheritage,butalsotoensurethatitsuse,itspromotionand
enhancement,anditseconomic,socialandculturalvalueareharnessedtothebenefitoflocal
communitiesandvisitors.Finally,itwillassesstheabilityofheritageanditsinherentvaluestoinspire
andtobuildtomorrowssocieties,curbingthenegativeeffectsofglobalization.

1

RisingtotheChallenge
Asvariousaspectsofdevelopmentthreatentodegradeanddestroyheritageanditsinherentvalues,itis
necessarytotakeupthechallengeofconservingthisfragile,crucialandnonrenewableresourceforthe
benefitofcurrentandfuturegenerations.

Itisnowwidelyagreedthatheritagewithitsvalueforidentity,andasarepositoryofhistorical,cultural
andsocialmemory,preservedthroughitsauthenticity,integrityandsenseofplaceformsacrucial
aspectofthedevelopmentprocess.

Thechallengeofintegratingheritageandensuringthatithasaroleinthecontextofsustainable
developmentistodemonstratethatheritageplaysapartinsocialcohesion,wellbeing,creativityand
economicappeal,andisafactorinpromotingunderstandingbetweencommunities.

Inthelightofover150papersandthedebatesthattheyinspired,theparticipantswitnessedhow
heritage,inthewidestsenseoftheterm,canmakevaluablecontributionsandprovidefarreachingand
constructiveguidanceinresponsetotheissuesraisedbydevelopment.Theseinputsaredrawntogether
intheprinciplesandrecommendationsthattheGeneralAssemblywishestobringtotheattentionof
States,andthroughthem,totheinternationalcommunity,asTheParisDeclaration.

Culture,thefourthpillarofsustainabledevelopment
TheJohannesburgWorldSummitonSustainableDevelopment(2002)recognizedculturaldiversityasthe
fourthpillarofsustainabledevelopment,alongsidetheeconomic,socialandenvironmentpillars.The
definitionofdevelopmentinArticle3oftheUNESCOUniversalDeclarationonCulturalDiversity(2001)
correspondscloselytotheroleinthedevelopmentprocessthatwewouldliketogiveheritage,
interpretedinitsbroadestsense:development,understoodnotonlyintermsofeconomicgrowth,but
alsoasameanstoachieveamoresatisfactoryintellectual,emotional,moralandspiritualexistence.

Resolution65/166onCultureandDevelopment,adoptedbytheUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyin
February2011,asproposedbytheDirectorGeneralofUNESCO,hasfurtherstrengthenedawarenessof
theprominentrolethatcultureplaysindevelopment,noting...thatculture[ofwhichheritageformsa
part]isanessentialcomponentofhumandevelopmentprovidingforeconomicgrowthandownership
ofdevelopmentprocesses.

2


DeclarationoftheSymposium


Theparticipantsofthe17thGeneralAssemblyaddressthisDeclarationtointergovernmental
organisations,nationalandlocalauthoritiesandallinstitutionsandspecialists,and
recommendthefollowingactions:

1HeritageandRegionalDevelopment

ControllingandRedistributingUrbanDevelopment
- Topreservehistoricdistrictsandencouragetheirrestorationandregeneration;
- Toestablishanddirectworkonregenerationandincreasedurbandensification,promotinga
harmonious,balancedandcoherentapproachtostreetandplotlayout,streetscapes,massingand
heightofurbandevelopments,andreclaimingurbanwastelandsandperipheralurbanzones,in
ordertorecreatemultifunctional,landscapedurbanneighbourhoods;restoringtheconceptof
urbanboundaries.
- Topromotebalancedplanninganddevelopmentinordertoensurethemostappropriateallocation
ofactivityzones,includingeducational,cultural,tourismandleisurefacilities.

RevitalisingTownsandLocalEconomies
- Toencouragetheselectiveretentionandreuseofbuiltheritageintownsandruralvillagesinorder
tofostersocioeconomicregeneration;increasethedensityofurbancorestocontaintheanarchic
spreadofnewbuildings;
- Tosupportthemaintenanceoftraditionalagriculturalandcraftactivitiestopreserveskillsand
expertiseandprovideemploymentforlocalcommunities;
- Tomaintainandbringbackintouselocal,sustainable,traditionalenergyproductiontechniques,and
developnewsourcesofenergyproduction,withaviewtoeconomicandenergysecurity.

PreservingSpace
- Topreserveopenspaces,whicharenonrenewable;tomaintainrurallandscapesandthe
organisationandscaleoftheiragricultureandforests;toconserveindigenousplantandaquatic
heritage;toprotectgeologicalandarchaeologicalheritage,groundwaterandecosystems;
- Tomaintainregionalandlocalcommunicationnetworks(railwayheritage,roads,navigable
waterways)totransportpeopleandgoods,andtoensuretheprovisionoflocalservices;topromote
alternativemodesoftransport;
- Preserveruralheritage,ensuringitsappropriatereusewhilemaintainingintegrityofspatial
distributionandfunctionalelements;strictlylimiturbansprawlandplaceconditionsontherightto
build,stipulatingthatdevelopmentshouldrespectthehistoriclandscapeandtraditionalsettlement
patterns.

2AReturntotheArtofBuilding

Conservation
- Toconservebuiltheritage,whetherurbanorrural,prestigiousorvernacular,whichisofhighquality,
includingoriginalmaterials,designandconstruction,architecture,themaintenanceoforiginal
functions,andintegrationintothephysicalandsocioculturalenvironment;
- Toadaptnewusesandfunctionstoexistingheritage,ratherthanthereverse,andtohelpusersof
historicbuildingstoadjusttheirexpectationsofmodernlivingstandards;

3

- Recallthatarchitecturalandlandscapeheritageisunique,andassuchmayrequireflexibilityinthe
applicationofstandardsandregulationswhichdonotmeetitsneeds.Amoratoriumshouldbe
institutedimmediatelyinordertobringonboardtheadviceofexpertsandspecialists,andshould
continueuntiltheyhavedevelopedspecificandappropriateapproaches,andthetransitional
measureshavebeenadopted.(ICOMOSParis,November2000);
- Tobringbacktraditionalbuildingskillsandbestpracticeasevidenceofcompetencetoundertake
restorationwork;
- Toadaptmethodsofperformanceassessmentandanalysisofstructures,thermalpropertiesand
safetytoheritagerequirements,andnotviceversa;
- Totakethenecessarymeasurestoensurethat,undernormalsafeworkingconditions,traditional
constructionmaterialscontinuetobeproduced,andthattraditionaltoolsareusedappropriatelyin
therestorationofhistoricstructures.

InspiringInnovativeArchitecture
- Traditionalhistoricbuildingsareatreasuryofarchitecturalexperience.Theyareaninexhaustible
universalsourceofinspirationformodernandinnovativearchitecture,intermsofmaterials,
constructionmethods,layoutanddesign,contributingtoahighqualityoflife.


3TourismandDevelopment

HeritageandtheChallengeofTourism:WhatStrategies,WhatTools?
- Toraiseawarenessandbuildthecapacityofconservationprofessionalsandsitemanagers
appropriatelytoaddressissuesassociatedwithtourismanddevelopment;toraiseawarenessofthe
fragilityandvalueofheritageamongsttourismprofessionals,touroperators,hotelandcruise
companies.
- Toinvolveallstakeholdersinthecreationofmanagementplansforheritagesites,tourist
destinations,urbancentresandregions,addressingthefollowingquestions:whatkindoftourism,
forwhom,andforwhatreason?Todevelopmanagementplansthatbuildonthespecificcultural,
historical,environmental,aestheticandmemoryvaluestobepreserved,onthespiritofplace,as
wellasbuildingonalongtermvisionforthesustainabledevelopmentoftourismasagreedbyall
thestakeholders.
- Todevelopmanagementtoolsforcollectingdataontourism,fortheevaluatingoftheroleof
heritageanditsenhancementinthecontextoftourismdevelopment;toassessthecostofthe
degradationofheritagevaluesandheritageassets;toensurethelongtermpreservationofthe
culturalandeconomicresource;toencourageheritage,tourismanddevelopmentimpact
assessments;todeveloptraininginresponsibletourismmanagement.Inaddition,toestablish
methodstoachievethefairdistributionofheritagetourismrelatedrevenues,betweenthecostsof
conservationandofheritagemanagement,localcommunities,andlocal,nationalandinternational
tourismcompanies.

CanTourismDevelopmentbeSustainable?
- Tolinkandintegrateconservationandpreservationofheritageintothecoreofthedevelopmentof
culturaltourism.Topreservetheculturalresourceasafundamentalassetoflongtermtourism
development,especially,indevelopingcountriesandtheleastdevelopedcountries(LDC).
- Toputauthenticityattheheartofthedevelopmentofculturaltourismandthegrowthof
interpretationandcommunicationstrategies;topromoteinterpretationbasedonsoundresearch
andinventories,avoidingmanufacturedtravelsinhyperrealitythatarecrudelyderivedfrom
heritagevalues.
- Tohelplocalcommunitiestakeownershipoftheirheritageandrelatedtourismprojects.To
encouragetheirempowermentandtheirparticipationinheritageconservation,intheplanning
processandindecisionmaking.Localparticipation,drawingonlocalperspectives,prioritiesand
knowledge,isapreconditionofsustainabletourismdevelopment.

4

EncouragingLocalCommunitiestotakeOwnershipofHeritageandTourismDevelopment
- Toeducateyoungpeople,especiallyatschool,andthewiderpopulationabouttheirheritages,and
theinherenthistorical,culturalandsocialvaluesthatgivemeaningandasenseofthepast.
- Tomakeuseofmodernmediainordertodisseminateknowledgeaboutheritage,whichwillcreatea
senseofprideandadesiretobecomeinvolvedinitsprotectionandenhancement.
- Toencouragecommunitiesengagement,asstakeholders,intheculturalheritageandtourism
sectorsandtofostercreativity,personaldevelopmentandanentrepreneurialspirit.
- Toencourageadialoguebetweenlocalandindigenouscommunitiesandvisitorssoastocontribute
toculturalexchange,tospreadthesocial,culturalandhumanvaluesofheritageandtointerpret
theminawaythatisscientifically,historicallyandsociallyaccurate.

4HeritageandEconomics

FosteringaBetterUnderstandingoftheEconomicImpactofHeritageConservation
- Tobetterunderstandtheeconomicandsocialimpactofmaximisingthevalueofheritage,whichis
anassettodevelopment;
- Tocollateexistingresearchandtoundertakefurtherdetailedstudies,incollaborationwithrelevant
institutions,andtodisseminatetheresultswidely;
- Todevelopresearchonthecontributionofheritagetosustainabledevelopmentandonthe
relationshipbetweeninvestmentanddevelopment;tostudytherelationshipsbetweenheritage,
creativityanddevelopment,andtoidentifyperformanceindicators;
- Toconsiderhowmultifacetedheritagemightbestbemanaged,inordertopassitontofuture
generations,andtoensurethatitcontributestodevelopmentinmobileanddynamicsocieties.

PromotingtheLongTermImpactsofHeritageonEconomicDevelopmentandSocialCohesion
Studiesshowthatheritagecanbeatoolinregionaldevelopment,butitisnotusedconsistently:itmust
becomeagoalofdevelopmentpolicies;
- Placepeopleattheheartofpoliciesandprojects;emphasisethatownershipofheritagestrengthens
thesocialfabricandenhancessocialwellbeing;involvelocalcommunitiesataveryearlystagein
developmentandenhancementproposals;raiseawareness,particularlyamongyoungpeople;
developtrainingforprofessionals;
- Takeintoaccountthedirecteffects,tourismbenefits,andthefinancialleverageofheritageto
enhancetheappealandcreativityofregions;takecarethateconomicimperativesrespectthoseof
theconservationoftangibleandintangibleheritage;ensureparticularlythattheeconomicreturns
ofheritagebenefitprimarilyitsmaintenanceandenhancement,andalsolocalcommunities;
- Payparticularattentiontotherestorationofurbanandindustrialheritage,especiallyinhistoricand
majorcitycentres,asawaytocombatpovertyindevelopingcountries.

DevelopingtheEconomicImpactofHeritage
- Remindpublicauthoritiesthattheyaretheguardiansofthepublicinterestandresponsibleforthe
legalprotectionofheritageinthefaceofpressureonland;giveprioritytorestoringratherthan
demolishingheritage;
- Placeheritageattheheartofoveralldevelopmentstrategies,settinggoalsforeconomicandsocial
benefitstoensurethatthedevelopmentofheritagerewardslocalcommunitiesintermsof
employment,theflowoffinance,andwellbeing;thecultural,creativeandcraftindustries
associatedwiththeenhancementofheritageassetscontributetotheimprovementofliving
conditions;
- Implementpoliciesforprotection,planning,financingandmanagement,adaptedovertimesothat
changerespectstheauthenticityofheritageandcontributestosustainabledevelopment;sharing
experienceonbestpractice.

5

5StakeholdersandCapacityBuilding

Theroleoflocalcommunitiesandraisingstakeholderawareness
Localpeople,civilsociety,andelectedlocalandnationalofficialswillplayakeyroleinthedesignand
implementationofheritageasadriverofdevelopment,and,throughraisedawarenessofheritage,they
willhaveownershipofthedevelopmentprocess.Informationcampaignstoraiseawarenesswillenable
civilsocietytorecogniseandtakeownershipofheritageandharnessthesevaluesinsustainable
development.

Professionaltraining
Thekeystakeholdersinheritageconservationindevelopmentarchitects,conservators,heritage
managers,developmentplanners,investorsandtouroperatorsrequiretrainingandcapacitybuilding.

Thelegalframework
Heritageprotectioninthecontextofdevelopmentalsoinvolvesthecreationandcontinualrevisionof
institutionalandlegalframeworksatalocal,nationalandinternationallevel(WorldHeritage
Convention).Aboveall,theseframeworksneedtobeimplementedontheground.Theframeworkswill
involveconsultationfollowingtheproceduresofdemocraticgovernanceandparticipatoryplanning,
resultinginagoodlevelofunderstandingandacceptancewhichwillassistintheireffective
implementation.

Research
Researchinstitutes,universities,expertadvisoryorganisationssuchasICOMOSandintergovernmental
organisationssuchasUNESCOneedtostrengthentheirresearchprogramsandstudies.Theseinitiatives
willinvolvethefieldmonitoringofanalyticaltoolsusedtoassessthephysicalperformanceofbuilt
heritage,measuringtheeconomicvalueofheritage,evaluatingtheimpactofculturaltourismon
employmentandregionalwealth,andinvestigatingtheconditions,risksandopportunitiesofinvestingin
heritageprotection,bringingtogethereconomicandfinancialdevelopmentpartners.

Cooperation
ICOMOScouldstrengthenitscooperationandpartnershipswithnationalandinternationalinstitutions
carryingoutworkonheritageanddevelopment,includingUNESCO.ICOMOSisactivelyinvolvedin
UNESCOsWorldHeritageTourismProgrammeandUNESCOsRecommendationontherelationship
betweenheritageconservationandsustainabletourism.