Spatial Values and Their Global Legitimization in the UNESCO Designated Cultural Landscapes of the 'Latin American and the Caribbean' Region

Abstract

Many civilizations have imprinted the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region long before the colonial period. These have in many cases developed into “cultural landscapes” or outstanding works of nature and of man as defined by the World Heritage (WH) Convention. Interestingly the LAC region remains one of the less represented, accounting only 8% of the “cultural landscapes” worldwide. This paper analyzes with “qualitative content analysis”, the constituting elements that have been used for the properties nomination in the region of LAC region. The data sources included the WH designation reports and nomination files. We conclude that the cultural landscapes in the LAC region have been nominated exclusively on the basis of WH cultural criteria with natural criteria remaining absent. Most cultural landscapes in the LAC region rest on still ongoing economic activities which in turn are linked to a Nation-place and State –making narrative. We hold the thesis, that the value of cultural landscapes is understood and known in the LAC region but used strategically for the conservation of existing (traditional) spatial orders. We suggest the inclusion of natural values and their respective organizations to level the region to new spatial complementarities and global orders.