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To answer the question of why education is important in heritage in the formation of societies,
the first thing you’d need to understand is what cultural heritage is.
Among the many definitions out there, we could summarise all the elements
we individually or collectively inherit from the past, which is, as individuals or as a society,
and for them to be part of all values and identity and cultural references of people.
Each society can understand the heritage differently, but to be recognised,
to be meaningful there must be a group that recognises it, identifies it and values it.
So a country that doesn’t ensure its heritage, that doesn’t understand the responsibility
That’s been granted to protect it for future generations, is failing as a society.
And that’s why education on heritage is very important,
because it allows us to understand the strategy on educating societies.
In other words, teaching heritage is translated in providing
appropriate tools to understand, while helping to promote
attitudes of respect and constructive criticism.
Education in heritage provides values on general education, if we understand education in general
in an open-minded way, in a critical way, education for life, in a very global way.
And so, we help to reinforce this purpose that’d be to delegate the role in society,
the responsibility to preserve this heritage for the next generations.
Education on heritage is also presented as a means for the preservation and appreciation of the heritage,
in other words, it accompanies us throughout this process from knowledge that brings us to the ownership,
that would be the way to help us make this journey to safeguard heritage;
i.e. first comes knowledge, respect would come after, then appreciation,
and this would help us to explain heritage, which is ultimately recover
those cultural elements concerning the identity of society.
It’s important to understand that heritage is part of the culture and the cultural fabric of people,
i.e., on which villages are founded.
And also understanding that heritage has an associated history, and it’s an important story,
the first step we have to do is to learn, because knowledge will allow us to highlight
values which are the most significant, in other words, the most significant features,
and enable us to carry out the necessary actions to conserve them.
In other words, to value heritage by disseminating it, conserving it and
ultimately, returning it to society.
This is the only way we can understand, respect and appreciate it
and this is the key to safeguarding it for future generations.
The University of Andorra has made a commitment to educate on heritage
both from a management point of view, as well as applied didactics.
Within the new reform of the European Higher Education Area, the University of Andorra
has supported the generation and incorporation of new specific knowledge of Andorra
in the baccalaureate studies.
In the case of the baccalaureate studies specialised in humanities
a course on the cultural heritage of Andorra is given,
which gives us the interpretive key to manage
and anyone interested in it can take it.
This course is intended to give students a clear idea to be able to be introduced
in the world of heritage management and also to understand what the key interpretations of these are
from the point of view of the management, conservation and dissemination.
All what is learnt from this course is organised into a series of modules
that have been pedagogically built and through the case study methodology,
that’s based on putting into practice the theory;
i.e. From real situations be able to research information
to try to be able to formulate the problem, to propose solutions
or possible intervention proposals in heritage.
I.e. apply the knowledge in cases of practical nature.
Finally, we can summarise this explanation in four major steps,
four great elements, it would be the fragility of heritage
that is, the first thing you have to do is discover the heritage so that it can be appreciated,
so that it can be protected and prevent the danger of disappearing, being degraded or be destroyed.
Secondly understand that heritage is fragile, unique, irreplaceable,
and that any loss is irreparable.
The third step would be to understand that a good education in heritage is essential
to will help us understand how culture can affect many values :
economic values , social values and, therefore, this education
is accompanied by good management which can involve many benefits for society in general.
And finally, it’s all about understanding people that get involved in heritage
but also the degree of education of societies in cultural heritage
depends on the safekeeping for future generations.