{"id":16633,"date":"2024-06-14T14:08:23","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T14:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.festivalsfromindia.com\/?p=16633"},"modified":"2024-06-14T14:08:26","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T14:08:26","slug":"can-festivals-help-safeguard-cultural-heritage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.festivalsfromindia.com\/blog\/can-festivals-help-safeguard-cultural-heritage\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Festivals Help Safeguard Cultural Heritage?","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Global arts and culture leaders convened in Davos at the World Economic Forum<\/strong><\/a> to address the pressing threats facing tangible and intangible cultural heritage. These include the erosion of languages, societal changes, and conflicts that endanger diverse traditions worldwide. The Catalogue of Endangered Languages*, a comprehensive repository, underscores the gravity of the situation, featuring entries from 180 countries and territories. Germany alone has 11 endangered languages, including Upper Sorbian and Western Yiddish, while the US has 165, ranging from Aleut to Zuni. This erosion of intangible heritage\u2014embracing language, customs, ceremonies, rituals, and traditions\u2014stems from the complex interplay of political dynamics and the relentless march of globalisation, ushering in societal and technological transformations at an unprecedented pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both these intangible and tangible (art works, festivals and monuments) heritage contain the diversity of human experience, and a framework for both individual and community identity. They nurture resilience in the face of change or crisis. It is therefore vital to protect and sustain what has been handed down from previous generations, in the face of multiple threats: climate change; armed conflict; unrestricted development; and unsustainable tourism. While these dangers exist worldwide, they tend to worsen exponentially under crisis conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Indian constitution recognises 22 different languages across the country. They also happen to be the major literary languages of India, with a considerable volume of writing in contemporary publishing and literature. But India\u2019s 22 different official languages are just scratching the surface of the many hundreds of indigenous languages and hybrids such as Nagamese which blends Assamese and Naga languages. Nagamese was evolved to enable trading between the states, while a further 19 indigenous languages also still span Nagaland today.
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The world\u2019s cultural heritage hasn\u2019t faced such grave threats of destruction since World War II, particularly due to conflict. Recent examples include the demolition of shrines in Timbuktu, the destruction of Iraq\u2019s Mosul Museum, and the targeting of Syria\u2019s ancient Roman site of Palmyra. These archaeological sites, archives, libraries, and museums serve as tangible embodiments of shared history, making them prime targets for violence aimed at fracturing communities. The British Council-supported Cultural Protection Fund<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 plays a significant role in conserving at-risk heritage, ensuring the protection of inclusive communities worldwide

This critical issue was addressed at the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Huib Schippers, Director of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and Katharyn Hanson, Fellow at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute. Despite the challenges, hope prevails, as evidenced by the Cultural Protection Fund. International cultural relations and festivals also play a vital role in preserving and safeguarding cultural heritage through live arts and performances. Here\u2019s how:
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