What is Heritage?

Heritage can be referred to the expression or the ways of a community’s lives and belief system passed from generation to generation, which includes customs, practices, places, objects, artistic expressions, and values.

Cultural heritage is often categorised as either Intangible or Tangible Cultural Heritage by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a non-governmental international organisation dedicated to the conservation of the world’s monuments and sites. According to ICOMOS, heritage is not only manifested through tangible forms such as artifacts, buildings, or landscapes but also intangible forms. Intangible heritage includes voices, values, traditions, and oral history. Cultural heritage can be observed in the built environment, such as the architecture of buildings and townscapes, the natural environment, including the coast and shorelines, and artifacts like books and documents. However, cultural heritage is always under threat from dangers such as fire, natural disasters, and many unexpected causes.