Heritage · July 2026

Exploring the role of cultural heritage in building inclusive communities

How can cultural heritage contribute to more inclusive and resilient communities?

It's a question that continues to shape conversations among heritage practitioners, urban planners and community organisations around the world. While there is no single answer, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: heritage is not only about preserving historic buildings. It is also about the people who live, work and build their futures around them.

This idea is at the heart of ICCROM's latest publication, Leveraging Cultural Heritage Conservation for Inclusive Growth with Communities. Bringing together case studies from across Southeast Asia, the publication explores how heritage conservation can strengthen local identity, support livelihoods and create opportunities for communities through collaborative, place-based approaches.

What makes this publication particularly valuable is its focus on practice. Rather than presenting a single framework or theory, it shares real experiences from organisations and communities working in different contexts across the region. Each case study offers its own perspective, while collectively demonstrating that meaningful heritage conservation begins with understanding local needs, building partnerships and creating lasting value for communities.

Several themes stood out to us while reading the publication.

First, heritage is presented as a living resource rather than something frozen in time. Conserving historic places is not simply about protecting physical structures, but about sustaining the stories, identities and relationships that give these places meaning.

Second, the publication highlights that inclusive growth requires collaboration. Successful projects are built through partnerships between communities, local organisations, governments and other stakeholders, recognising that no single actor can achieve lasting impact alone.

Finally, the publication reminds us that every place is different. While the case studies share common principles, each responds to its own cultural, social and economic context. This diversity of approaches is one of the publication's greatest strengths and offers valuable lessons for anyone working in heritage, urban development or community engagement.

We're honoured that Our Heritage Homes, one of Doh Eain's core initiatives focusing on heritage, is featured as one of the case studies. Our Heritage Homes reflects our ongoing commitment to conserving Yangon's architectural heritage while supporting the people who call these historic neighbourhoods home. We are grateful to contribute our experiences alongside many inspiring initiatives from across the region.

We extend our sincere thanks to ICCROM and the authors for bringing together this thoughtful collection of stories, lessons and reflections. We hope it encourages more dialogue on how heritage can serve as a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable urban development - not only in Southeast Asia, but wherever communities are working to protect the places that matter to them.

We invite you to explore the publication and discover the diverse experiences it brings together.

https://www.iccrom.org/news/new-learning-document-shares-lessons-southeast-asia