Our real work starts after we register ruins as world heritage. We need to preserve the ruins and figure out how to utilize them in the future. How are Jomon ruins related to the issues faced by the international community today? Let’s explore the possibilities.
City planning utilizing world heritage sites
The purpose of world heritage site registrations is to establish a preservation system for cultural properties. For this purpose, it is important for local communities (residents, companies, schools, and other related agencies and organizations) and local governments to lead the effort to appropriately utilize assets according to their values. It is particularly important to provide educational activities to children about world heritage and connect with local communities. These activities foster local support and promote local residents and private organizations to engage in the preservation and utilization of heritage sites, becoming the momentum to preserve world heritage sites.
World heritage site registration leads to increased awareness and local promotion of appeals leads to more inbound visitors and a vitalized economy. Sustainable utilization of heritage sites can be achieved by managing visitors with preservation and utilization in mind. More visitors mean vitalized economy and employment opportunities and may solve various local issues through the acquirement of nonresident and permanent population. The sustainable preservation and utilization of world heritage sites contribute to the continuation of local communities.
The effect of world heritage site registration
in local communities
Administrative perspective on cultural properties
Regions sharing the values of world heritage sites and spreading the information promotes the understanding of cultural properties, securing the preservation and utilization of cultural properties in the overall community.
→Promotion of cultural property preservation
Education perspective
Learning about great culture that can be world heritage in your home region can foster regional pride and love.
→Foster the love of your home region
Regional development perspective
A drastic increase in the number of visitors, particularly inbound visitors, means there would be tourist groups with new needs from places like the West.
→Generating new tourism
Learning from Jomon -for achieving a sustainable society-
Jomon period people changed their lifestyle from a migratory to a sedentary lifestyle and achieved a stable group life. People developed mutual bonds and nurtured a rich spiritual culture respecting ancestors and nature. On the other hand, there were many challenges that we also face today, such as regularly securing food, disposing of waste, and dealing with climate change. How did Jomon people respond to these challenges and develop/mature their settled lifestyle? Observing the Jomon period from these perspectives teaches us important lessons for us in the present day.
Since 2005, UNESCO has been promoting ESD(Education for Sustainable Development). Our international community faces many challenges, such as discrimination, poverty, conflict, and environmental destruction. ESD aims to personalize these challenges and take initiatives to actualize a better society. Furthermore, in 2015, the UN summit adopted SDGs (Sustainable Development GOALS). Countries in the world are now working to achieve targets for 2030. Learning about the Jomo period values that lasted over 10,000 years while continuously managing and using natural resources, and adapting to the environment has a big potential in contributing to international SDG initiatives.
Let’s review
local treasures
It is important to review the culture and nature close to us whenever there is a natural heritage site registration. Regions contain many important “treasures” of various values. Realizing these treasures and feeling proud leads to the spirit of loving the homeland. This can be the motivation for future city planning. It is one of the significances of the world heritage site registration.
