Lesson 3: Cultural heritage and respect for diversity

Cultural Diversity and Cultural Heritage

Cultures have always formed different subcultures and a diversity of life expressions. Cultures are never closed systems.

Diversity refers to the heritage of humanity and how the categories of this heritage must be defined so that geographical, cultural, religious, tangible and intangible diversity can be represented.

The term ‘diversity’ “recognizes the diversity between cultures and affirms that they are of equal dignity, recognizes cultural diversity in itself and, finally, the diversity of cultural expressions.

2001 UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity marks the political legitimization of the concept of cultural diversity. It states that “cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature” referring to it as “the common heritage of humanity”.