Special Session #4

"Heritage literally assumes both a legatee and an inheritance; the latter only being definable in terms of the former"
prof. Gregory J. Ashworth

The concept of heritage means much more than historical cities, monuments or masterpieces of architecture that have historical, material, artistic, cultural values. We can make a research, measurements, descriptions and analysis, we can protect them but they still remain only monuments and relicts of the past times.
Heritage is a relation between the inherited objects and the recipent. No relationship, indifference, hostility, give the items status of rejected inheritance.
We can talk about heritage when the legacy is adopted, accepted, appreciated and treated with care for the future generations.

"Heritage is a common legacy, common duty and common responsibility to safe, to continue history alive, is an essence of the meaning, ....sense of Identity and Influence for future development"
(UNESCO Convention of the World's Cultural and Natural Heritage)

They are these immeasurable values as: memory, sense of identity, identification, rootedness, emotions, care ... that transform places into our Heritage.
During the session the following topics will be discussed:

• Layers of the past - heritage as a palimpsest
• Great and modest works of the past and heritage significance
• Memory and narrations in a process of heritage evaluation
• Local community and local care for cultural heritage (tangible and intangible)
• Education and popularization of heritage values
• Increasing social awarness: activities and initiatives

PhD., DSc, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Poland.
Professional interests: history and theory of architecture and urbanism, building conservation and revitalization, tangible and intangible heritage.
Involved in a number of projects referring to the cultural heritage research and protection, e.g: ’San Pietro Infine: the Place and Memory’ in cooperation with the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio and the City of San Pietro Infine, 'Cultural Heritage of Jewish Cemeteries in Upper Silesia' - project of Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, 2017-2020, 'Interdisciplinary research on architectural heritage of Upper Silesia in the second half of XX century' in cooperation with Silesian Library and Association for Polish Architects, dated from 2015, and many others. Author and co-author of ten books and near hundred articles.