Abstract
Cultural heritage is an invaluable asset of any city, region, or community and is an important component in the sustainable development of societies and economies. However, the role of cultural heritage has been understudied in terms of its social embeddedness and impact on social cohesion. This has led to a demand for more insights on how cultural heritage is conserved globally and more significantly via the role of societal stakeholders. Inclusive strategies allow diverse sections of a community to engage and enrich not only the anthropological interpretations of society but also support social stability and foster positive social change. This paper exemplifies how an inclusive approach was used to engage citizen engagement for the sustainable development of the built heritage in the city of Indore in central India. Best practices are presented through secondary data through various print and online sources relevant to the context. Open coding of secondary data has helped to identify strategic approaches and relationships that emerge as crucial to citizen engagement as presented in this study. The paper discusses strategies that, based on diversity and inclusivity, contribute to the enrichment of community knowledge, increased synergistic participation, and the enhancement of the sense of collective responsibility in cultural consumption.
Highlights
Culture-Based Sustainable DevelopmentIn terms of sustainable development, culture has several crucial attributes—firstly, culture is the tangible or intangible expression of social capital and its evolution [14], secondly, it is an interactive process through which people contribute multiple meanings to their social realities to create relevant actions [7], and thirdly, culture becomes a binding element for the existing diversity and disparity among social structures thereby motivating social actors to design sustainable actions and plans for the wellbeing of society [6,15]
With the increasing focus on sustainable development and optimisation of local resources, the focus on cultural consumption is finding new ground
In the context of rapidly developing economies, this study provides an in-depth insight into best practices and exemplifies how regional historical background and the embedded socio-cultural dimensions can support the built heritage of a region
Summary
In terms of sustainable development, culture has several crucial attributes—firstly, culture is the tangible or intangible expression of social capital and its evolution [14], secondly, it is an interactive process through which people contribute multiple meanings to their social realities to create relevant actions [7], and thirdly, culture becomes a binding element for the existing diversity and disparity among social structures thereby motivating social actors to design sustainable actions and plans for the wellbeing of society [6,15]. The new urban agenda 2016 emphasises the need for adopting culture-based approaches for urban planning and development It highlights its role in bolstering local and regional identity and in the protection of associated creative industries. Local communities, when strong in the knowledge of their cultural heritage, can develop inroads into local businesses and create employment opportunities, while enriching their ecosystems around the appreciation and implementation of cultural diversity This attention to the role of cultural dynamics is aimed to instigate the preservation of traditional occupations and skills, whilst at the same time, creating sustainable systems of economic growth for the local populations and their innate knowledge of local resources [8]. A deeper and reflective understanding of integrating cultural heritage with modern urbanisation is crucial for sustainable regional development and regeneration
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