Photo: Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia. Khaled Ladjimi de Getty Images
Context:
- PRIMA participated in the AFRICA24 Built Heritage Conservation conference (November 24-26, 2024).
- PRIMA was represented by Ali Rhouma, PRIMA Project Officer, who also acted as a partner of the SD-WISHEES project.
- SD-WISHEES is an EU-funded initiative bringing together researchers, water governance, and cultural heritage experts to address the protection and sustainable management of cultural heritage in Europe. PRIMA is a partner of the SD-WISHEES project.
- PRIMA promotes research and innovation to safeguard and enhance Mediterranean cultural heritage by combining traditional knowledge with cutting-edge technologies, promoting sustainable practices and fostering cross-border collaboration.
Cultural heritage, tangible, intangible and natural, is the very essence of any society, and was the main focus of the AFRICA24 conference, an international event focusing on the conservation of built heritage in Africa, held in Mombasa (Kenya) in November 2024, and to which PRIMA participated.
The UNESCO’s definition states that “Cultural heritage includes artefacts, monuments, a group of buildings and sites, museums that have a diversity of values including symbolic, historic, artistic, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological, scientific and social significance. It includes tangible heritage (movable, immobile and underwater), intangible cultural heritage (ICH) embedded into cultural, and natural heritage artefacts, sites or monuments. (Source definition: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2009 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics)
In the Mediterranean, this cultural wealth is diverse, connecting Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. However, it faces significant threats from climate change, urbanization and social pressures. Preserving this heritage for future generations is not just about conservation; it is about preserving the identity and values that have shaped the Mediterranean region.
Research and innovation play a role in protecting and enhancing cultural heritage. PRIMA believes that, with emerging technologies and new approaches, it is possible to preserve cultural and natural assets.
The role of PRIMA: combining scientific research with traditional knowledge:
In the Mediterranean, PRIMA is fostering research and innovation and support the development of technologies to preserve both the natural and cultural heritage of the region.
By combining scientific research with traditional knowledge, PRIMA wishes to provide innovative solutions to preserve the region’s heritage in the face of climate change, social and economic pressures.
PRIMA’s thematic areas of intervention, such as wetland conservation, ecosystem restoration and traditional Mediterranean diets, are direct responses to the cultural and environmental challenges of the region.
- Wetland conservation: Wetlands are essential to both biodiversity and the cultural practices that are linked to them. Protecting these ecosystems is essential to the sustainable preservation of Mediterranean cultural heritage.
- Ecosystem restoration: By focusing on nature-based solutions, PRIMA promotes the restoration of ecosystems that support both cultural and environmental well-being.
- Traditional knowledge and practices: From ancient agricultural techniques to the Mediterranean diet, PRIMA supports the preservation and revitalization of traditional practices that are vital to the region’s heritage.
- Digital technologies are emerging as one of the advances that are enabling the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. From 3D modeling to virtual observation and remote sensing, new tools are allowing us to understand and protect our heritage. These technologies are keys to document and preserve natural sites, making them accessible in ways we could not access them before.
The future of cultural heritage: innovation and community engagement
For cultural heritage to thrive in the modern world, community engagement and innovation must go hand in hand. PRIMA’s focus on community-based research ensures that local knowledge is integrated into preservation strategies, making them more relevant and effective. At the same time, the innovative tools developed by researchers are opening new perspectives in the way we preserve and interact with our heritage.
The future of cultural heritage preservation lies in the ability to balance the old and the new, honouring tradition while embracing innovation. By integrating technologies with traditional knowledge and encouraging cross-border collaboration, PRIMA is helping to build a sustainable future for Mediterranean cultural heritage.
By fostering collaborative partnerships across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, PRIMA ensures that cultural heritage is protected in a way that reflects the diversity and interdependence of the region.
Picture:
Photo: Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia.
Khaled Ladjimi de Getty Images
