Contemporary Heritage and Its Threats

This assignment delves into the challenges facing contemporary heritage sites around the world. It examines how factors like climate change, desertification, and political instability impact cultural preservation, using Timbuktu in Mali as a specific example. The analysis also explores various concepts related to heritage conservation, such as the growing importance of intangible heritage and the need for community involvement in protecting these valuable resources.

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Issues in Contemporary Heritage
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Contents
Part-1................................................................................................................................................2
Description of Blue Mountains National Park.............................................................................2
Part-2................................................................................................................................................4
Part-3................................................................................................................................................6

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Part-1
Description of Blue Mountains National Park
To know the heritage culture in Australia one has to definitely visit the Blue Mountains National
Park that is listed in the world heritage and has to explore its contemporary heritage. This is the
home for the three sisters, which is very famous. From Sydney one can take a day trip to the
Blue Mountains area that is near Katoomba. An indigenous Australian culture, tracks for
walking, camping, climbing, mountain biking, and Canyoning activities can be noticed. In
Australia Blue Mountains National Park is one of the most famous parks which is a part of the
Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (De Groot, 2016). It is particularly known for its
outstanding geographic, cultural, and botanic values along with sites of protection of the
Indigenous cultural significance.
Three sisters walk
From the viewpoints of the park, the views are splendid where you can view the cloudy blue
forests, Rocky Mountains, and waterfalls (Erickson, 2015). There are some specific management
strategies for Blue Mountains National park in place for protecting and for conserving the values
of the park. The following are some of the values which are followed by the park management as
the activities for conserving the park include:
 Having an understanding of the geology and landscapes: The values such as protection
and conservation of the biodiversity along with native vegetation, and land are followed

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by Blue Mountains National Park. Within this park, some of the ongoing activities are
carried out and are specially designed for delivering the significant connectivity of
landscapes conservation outcomes (Gharehbaglou, Ebrahimi & Aghajni, 2014).
 Biodiversity preservation: The biodiversity of all parks is protected collectively by
national parks and wildlife services. So in this Blue Mountains National Park is also
included. Within the park, the issues which might have potential impacts on the
biodiversity, such as changes in the climate and the invasion of weed are observed
regularly and are tracked. Control of weed and monitoring of species with evaluation of
race from the natural vegetation and fire also occur frequently (Hartmann, 2014).
 Historic heritage in parks and reserves: In the Blue Mountains National Park the priority
is given to the preservation of the abundant historical heritage of the Yerranderie zone.
For protecting the fabric of the Yerranderie heritage and for making sure of the safety of

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the visitor and conservation of important asset the building is maintained regularly
(Harvey, 2017)
 Conserving the indigenous culture: Blue Mountains National Park is devoted to
preserving the indigenous culture strongly. Around the park, there are many significant
sites that are maintained with efforts for conserving the culture. The site conditions of the
indigenous area are assessed and recorded regularly and the individuals of the local
indigenous communities are involved wherever possible.
 Developing facilities for visitors and experiences: The key commitment of the Blue
Mountains National park is to provide the first class facilities to visitors. In the Greater
Blue Mountains area, the park is located which is a heritage listed site and the
maintenance of heritage is ongoing (James & Prout, 2015). For making sure that the
heritage assets are conserved early scoping studies are carried out. Improvements are
made to car parks, tracks, park roads, campgrounds, and trails on continuous priority.
Part-2
The cinema industry in Australia has produced films which have represented the key aspects of
the indigenous history during the time when that history has been questioned and debated. An
excellent medium of expressions such as reflection, commentary on the past society, education,
reconciliation and the experiences that are gained by both groups and individuals are provided
through the teaching of indigenous history by films. If historical narratives are depicted in the
films, then it will be providing an exclusive understanding of the avenues of the indigenous
history which were overshadowed and neglected previously.

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Rabbit-proof Fence is a contemporary Australian film that is engaged with the précised historical
processes which will be reflecting the public debate of the 21st century, such as removal of a
child, land ownership, racism, frontier violence, indigenous treatment, gender and cultural bias.
This historical narrative is forward and confronting where it repeats and educates the needless
existence of these historical processes in the past and present of Australia. The historical
experience of the indigenous people is depicted in this film which reflects on their status within
the context (Waterton, 2016).
Rabbit-proof fence is the film which explored the historical process firstly of the stolen
generation. The historical event that took place locally of the stolen generation is translated by
the film into the empathic and powerful experience which has challenged the notions of the
history that are fixed and the ideologies that are associated with it. For this film, the report of
bringing them home published in the year 1997 is an inspiration. With the release of this report,
the powerful debates have sparked on the forced removal of the children and the history that was
surrounding it (Waterton, 2016)
The film rabbit-proof fence is described by the director Philip Noyce in the form of the vehicle in
the history of Australia. In the film not the history that is already known is explored, but also the
history that has been denied or forgotten is revealed. For creating a historically accurate film
methodologically Noyce shifted from the verified indigenous testimonials and the oral histories.
The official version of the history was gathered offset by many of the histories which had
dominated the national history previously. Throughout the entire film, the message that there
were always many and unavoidable versions of the same history has been repeated.
The relationship that has been damaged between the indigenous and non-indigenous people is
symbolized in the film rabbit-proof fence. In the Australian history, the setting of the film was
found to be the prominent decade (You, 2015). As it is illustrated by the great depression this
era has been shaped by the transformation and hardship. The Great War was posted by a life
which has seen the evolution continuing with the distinct identity of the white national that is
separated from the traditional identity of the British and the ignorant of the traditional
landowners. Within the few years of the release of this film, many Australians have watched this
movie as it was dealing with the indigenous heritage cultural issue.

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Part-3
The article published in the year 2015 by the Unesco world heritage sites states that probably you
will never get to see it again and the ones which have to be visited before it becomes too late. On
the list of the Unesco world heritage, there are 1007 incredible sites. Most of the sites are not
accessible due to the conflicts while few others are very hard to reach. In Afghanistan, the
Minaret of Jam and in Syria the ancient city of Aleppo are at the risk of being lost forever. If you
are quick then you can still have the chance to see the remains of the Chimu kingdom in Peru.
Even the place among us that is well-traveled will struggle to score the surface of the list of the
Unesco world’s heritage. Of the 1007 sites that are reserved for the preservation by the
organization the incredible wildlife, ancient monuments, and jaw-dropping sceneries are just a
few. But while the destinations that are known well, such as the Acropolis and Machu Pichu in
Athens might feature prominently on many fearless explorers to do list there are also many
stunning sites in which majority can never get to see by us (Waterton & Watson, 2015). A
number of Unesco world heritage sites are highlighted here that because of deterioration or
conflict, climate changes, the risk of losing it forever along with destinations which cannot be
seen by yourself unless you are quick.
Samarra Archaeological City in North-West Iraq: This is now remained in the ongoing conflict
and the grip of a bitter between the Kurdish, Isis, and local militia forces.
The Ancient city of Aleppo in Syria: Due to this war, there are no signs of abating and foreign
visits in the country (Taheri, O’Gorman & Baxter, 2016).
Timbuktu in Mali: Due to desertification and climate change, many of the buildings are left
vulnerable and in the region because of the political instability all are prohibited except the
essential travel.
The concepts that are learned in the unit can be applied to this article and can be predicted
by discussing regarding the environmental threats that are originating from the
temperatures that are rising or the climatic changes and the other related threats. The
threats that have been discussed are diversified. The reports of the actions in the article are
found to contribute a very significant contribution which is shedding light on all the issues

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of the contemporary heritage and provides a solid alignment over the tools which has to be
developed for protecting the cultural heritage in the 21st century. The concepts that led to
the discussion of these consequences is because of the communities all over the world which
have recognized the significance of the cultural heritage due to which numerous results
that are not expected have led to the demand for this analysis. In this, the emergence of the
categories of developing new heritage, a growing union of tangible and intangible heritage,
and the demand that is increasing for the conservation of the traditional contemporary
heritage are included. In predicting the possible implications the authority of decision
making have chosen those groups and individuals who are having strong links to the
particular site of heritage.
References
De Groot, J., 2016. Consuming history: Historians and heritage in contemporary popular
culture. Routledge.
Erickson, K.C., 2015. Las Colcheras: Spanish Colonial Embroidery and the Inscription of
Heritage in Contemporary Northern New Mexico. Journal of Folklore Research, 52(1), pp.1-37.
Gharehbaglou, M., Ebrahimi, A.N. and Aghajni, E., 2014. Regenerating the" Creative Place": A
New Approach in Promoting Contemporary Heritage of Islamic-Iranian City. Current World
Environment, 9(3), p.1017.
Hartmann, R., 2014. Dark tourism, thanatourism, and dissonance in heritage tourism
management: new directions in contemporary tourism research. Journal of Heritage
Tourism, 9(2), pp.166-182.
Harvey, D., 2017. The Palgrave handbook of contemporary heritage research.
James, A. and Prout, A. eds., 2015. Constructing and reconstructing childhood: Contemporary
issues in the sociological study of childhood. Routledge.
Marchi, D.D.M., 2016. How much memory is in the know-how of clown? Contemporary issues
about cultural heritage from the work of a circus-theater family group. URDIMENTO-REVISTA
DE ESTUDOS EM ARTES CENICAS, 1(26), pp.287-309.

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Smith, G.S., Messenger, P.M. and Soderland, H.A. eds., 2017. Heritage values in contemporary
society. Routledge.
Taheri, B., O’Gorman, K. and Baxter, I., 2016. Contemporary issues in museums and heritage
marketing management: introduction to the special issue.
Waterton, E., 2016. Contemporary issues in cultural heritage tourism.
Waterton, E. and Watson, S. eds., 2015. The Palgrave handbook of contemporary heritage
research. Springer.
You, Z., 2015. 6 Shifting Actors and Power Relations: Contentious Local Responses to the
Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Contemporary China. UNESCO on the Ground:
Local Perspectives on Intangible Cultural Heritage, 19, p.113.