Temat nr 27 CULTURAL HERITAGE

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CULTURAL HERITAGE

Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations.
Physical heritage includes buildings and historic places, monuments, artifacts, etc., that are considered worthy of preservation for the future. These include objects significant to the archaeology, architecture, science or technology of a specific culture. "Natural heritage" is also an important part of a culture, encompassing the countryside and natural environment, including flora and fauna. These kind of heritage sites often serve as an important component in a country's tourist industry, attracting many visitors from abroad as well as locally.
UNESCO's World Heritage mission is to:
· encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage;
· encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List;
· encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites;
· help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training;
· provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger;
· support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation;
· encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage;
· encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage.
Statistics There are currently 830 World Heritage Sites located in 138 State Parties. Of these, 644 are cultural, 162 are natural and 24 are mixed properties.
Poland
· Kraków's Historical Centre (1978)
· Wieliczka Salt Mine (1978)
· Auschwitz Concentration Camp, near Oświęcim (1979)
· Białowieża Forest (1979, 1992) —shared with Belarus
· Historic Centre of Warsaw (1980)
· Old City of Zamość (1992)
· Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork (1997)
· Medieval Town of Toruń (1997)
· Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park (1999)
· Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica (2001)
· Wooden Churches of Southern Little Poland (2003)
· Park Mużakowski on both sides of the Nysa River (2004) —shared with Germany
· Centennial Hall in Wrocław (2006)