Importance of World Heritage Sites in Modern Society

This essay discusses the importance of world heritage sites in modern society, including their cultural, economic, and social benefits. It also highlights the challenges faced in preserving these sites and the responsibility of every citizen to safeguard them.

Essay

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
World Heritage sites may be referred to a wider range of historical monuments, buildings,
objects and culture. It involves various activities and knowledge that people derive from them. It
consist of various sculptures and historical buildings which reflects living pattern and behaviour
of predecessors. Heritages sites are those which are selected by UNESCO having special regards
of culture and tradition. These sites are prestigious property of nation and must be preserved for
future generation. It is important to conserve and preserve from various factors such as human
activities and unfavourable weather. Along with modern era, people do not have to forget about
predecessor's tradition and customer from which this era has derived. Preservation of heritage
sites is a long term investment which benefits people today and leaves behind a valuable
resource for generations to come. This project essay is based on world heritage sites along with
its importance in modern society. It will also argue about understanding of social, economic and
cultural advantage. Further, it will include negative impact in relation to world heritage sites.
TASK
As per (Seyfi, Michael Hall and Fagnoni, 2019), World heritage sites are valuable asset of
nation and it is responsibility of every citizen to preserve and safeguard for upcoming generation.
World Heritage sites consist of several historical monuments, buildings as well as archaeological
sites. The origin of world heritage sites is incorporates by appointing UNESCO so as to protect
and safeguard ancient sites. It s imperative to preserve these monuments as it contributes a large
part in development of country. By preserving these monuments and historical buildings, country
can attract visitors across the world and leads to better infrastructure and in economic growth.
Conservation and preservation may be considered as a crucial part of urban civilization. It is
linked with tourism industry and is largest and fastest growing industry. The monuments and
buildings are rooted with predecessor way of living and skills. These ancient sites connects old
generation with new generation and reflects about ancient time and about its elements. In order
to incorporate official body for preserving and conserving of ancient sites, it is needed to pass
convention and leads to formulation of UNESCO. The core aim of this body is to encourage
local communities for protecting their heritage sites and to promote economic development of
nation. It can be managed by providing training and by tech support. Sudan and Egypt were two
countries who have started concept of preserving monumental sites. The old historical building

reflects predecessor's tradition, culture, knowledge, skills and way of living. These buildings
were hand crafted and even beat modern building. There are several examples of world heritage
sites such as Jurassic coast and Bath. Natural heritage sites involves Stonehenge and Manas
national park. In order to add place in list of world heritage sites, it is important to have excellent
universal value. According to (Chi, Cai and Li 2017), the responsibility of choosing place to be
world heritage sites is undertaken by world heritage committee and involves various policies. It
frame policies and guidelines for nominating and selecting places for adding in list of world
heritage sites. The officials of nation should add Heritage sites in tentative list. State party can
register their nomination after selection of heritage sites for making it popular and well known
place. Heritage sites plays crucial role in economic development and contributes a larger part in
GDP. Many business are dependent tourism and only rely on this single source of income. Small
craftsman earn their livelihood by tourism only. World Heritage committee contributes in
making process smoother of formalities and documentation to state party. The nominated party is
then set on evaluation by several advisory bodies as per World Heritage convention. After
successful evaluation of site, intergovernmental world heritage committee undertakes
responsibility of taking final decision for inscription. The members of committee have right to
raise any queries in case of any doubt regarding documentation and in other formalities. If a
place fulfils one of ten criteria then only it will be entitled to add in list of world heritage sites.
According to views of (Wang and et.al., 2017), it is important to conserve and preserve
old monumental buildings as it reflects the way of living, knowledge and skills of ancestor's. It
also helps in facilitating history which depicts essential sources in tracking emergence of
evolution in relation to civilisation. It is not only responsibility of government and of official
bodies but also of every citizen so to maintain civic beauty of country. There are various steps
taken by government in order to promote development of these sites. By promoting tourism in
country, it allows people to visit which contributes in economic development of country. It
contributes a huge part in making country more popular. It is important to historic environment
and provides various benefits. It enhances tourism sector within country in a well defined
manner. Apart from preserving, people can get valuable information for educational purpose.
To protect and safeguard historical sites and monuments is not an easy task but involves
may complexities (Rasoolimanesh and et.al., 2017). There are various challenges faced by
government so as to protect sites. It is important to encourage people along with creating a sense

of responsibility towards these sites. It is duty of every individual to safeguard and to understand
responsibility towards nation. By preventing these sites, it can help in elevating beauty of nation.
In order to preserve these monuments, various economic benefits can be gained as many
business rely on tourism industry and end of this industry can end their livelihood. Various
employment opportunities can be generated by safeguarding monuments. It also facilitates in
development of infrastructure so as to attract international visitors. By providing them with better
infrastructure such as roads and transportation facility, it can be beneficial for local residents too.
They can also take advantage of better facilities. The one drawback of this that the price of
product is generally higher than actual price. Apart from economic benefits, there are several
cultural benefits too which facilitates in boosting tourism industry in an effective and efficient
manner. As these monuments have great history and people can get to know about cultural
practices and about historic events (Santa-Cruz and López-Guzmán, 2017). In context to social
benefits, it provides valuable knowledge and evidence about existence and non existence. In
addition to that, it gives information about ancestor's living pattern along with history. By
preventing world heritage sites, it helps in generation of income as it creates numerous
employment opportunities and local residents can improve their lifestyle. It becomes easier for
illiterate people to earn livelihood. They can somehow manage their earning by engaging in
cultural work such as in pottery, making sculptures or in other activities. Due to emergence of
modern era, people are forgetting about prestigious monuments and what value they hold in
nation. Because of various factors such as natural calamities and disasters, increased pollution
causes disruption. Necessary steps are needed to be undertaken by government so as to preserve
and safeguard historical sites. By attracting tourism in nation, it will help government in
generating fund and it can be utilised in making infrastructure such as better roads, clean water
facility and transportation services. By this, it can promote economic development and if these
monuments are not safeguarded, it become a threat for many businesses who rely on tourism
sector (Kim, Oh and Lee , 2018). There are various natural factors such as increased pollution
and soil erosion can be challenging for tourism industry. Pollution diminishes beauty of
historical sites by covering with a layer of mist and carbon effluents. It is imperative for world
heritage committee to make people aware about importance of preserving monument sites and
what values they are holding within country. It is recommended to world heritage committee to
spread awareness as to enhance tourism industry by using technology. Apart from conserving

world heritage site, it is basis of livelihood and to show future generation about ancestor's
cultural practices. Effective strategies helps in promoting world heritage sites and contributes in
economic development of nation.
CONCLUSION
From the above essay, it was concluded that world heritage sites consist of valuable information
of predecessor and is important to preserve for future generation. These information should be
passed to next generation in order to make them aware about ancestor's way of living and
history. For adding a place in list of world heritage sites, it is needed to fulfil one of ten criteria
of convention. It becomes complex for government for conserving monuments as there are some
factors on which there is no control of humans such as natural calamities and natural disaster. In
addition to that, there are various benefits in relation to cultural, economic and social aspect. By
enhancing tourism in country, it can benefit in generation of employment opportunities and in
elevating standard of living of local residents.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Chi, C.G.Q., Cai, R. and Li, Y., 2017. Factors influencing residents’ subjective well-being at
World Heritage Sites. Tourism Management, 63, pp.209-222.
Kim, H., Oh, C.O., Lee, S. and Lee, S., 2018. Assessing the economic values of World Heritage
Sites and the effects of perceived authenticity on their values. International Journal of Tourism
Research, 20(1), pp.126-136.
Rasoolimanesh, S.M., Jaafar, M., Ahmad, A.G. and Barghi, R., 2017. Community participation
in World Heritage Site conservation and tourism development. Tourism Management, 58,
pp.142-153.
Santa-Cruz, F.G. and López-Guzmán, T., 2017. Culture, tourism and world heritage
sites. Tourism Management Perspectives, 24, pp.111-116.
Seyfi, S., Michael Hall, C. and Fagnoni, E., 2019. Managing world heritage site stakeholders: A
grounded theory paradigm model approach. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 14(4), pp.308-324.
Wang, W., Zhang, Y., Han, J. and Liang, P., 2017. Developing teenagers’ role consciousness as
“world heritage guardians”. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable
Development.