Eleventh International Conference of Young Heritage Researchers

It is with the greatest pleasure that we welcome you to Campinas for the Eleventh Annual International Conference of Young Heritage Researchers, organized by the Canada Research Chair on Urban Heritage, the Groupe interuniversitaire de recherche sur les paysages de la représentation, la ville et les identités urbaines (PARVI / Interuniversity Research Group on Landscape Representation, the City, and Urban Identities), the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), and the postgraduate programme in history of the Institute of Philosophy and the Humanities of UNICAMP.

After the very fruitful reflections on the relationship between heritage and cultural diversity in 2014 in Montreal, we propose to examine the meaning of heritage in the context of the spectacularization of cityscapes and the growing desire manifested by citizens around the world to shed light on their respective heritage. In today’s “hyperconnected” world, this often means finding a way to make a building or a cultural practice more appealing to the medias, a process that, at the same time, is often criticized for rendering an unauthentic image of heritage. Brazil, with its rich cultural heritage and the recent and upcoming mega-events that seem to reshape its urban landscapes on a daily basis, is undoubtedly a great place to hold such a discussion on both the potential and observed effects of spectacularization on heritage.

This meeting brings together heritage experts from eight countries, taking us on a journey throughout North and South America, Europe, and Africa. A vast array of topics, such as the branding of war memorials, urban branding and heritage, heritage in the media sphere, and tourism in poor and endangered neighbourhoods will enable a rich and profound reflection on the meaning of heritage in this “media turn” as well as on the idea of heritage as a cultural and economic resource in an age of tremendous urban transformations.

We thus encourage you to attend the Eleventh International Young Scholars Conference on Heritage and live a rich research experience as well as a rare moment for sharing with passionate people your reflections on the heritage of diversity.

It is with the greatest pleasure that we welcome you to Campinas for the Eleventh Annual International Conference of Young Heritage Researchers, organized by the Canada Research Chair on Urban Heritage, the Groupe interuniversitaire de recherche sur les paysages de la représentation, la ville et les identités urbaines (PARVI / Interuniversity Research Group on Landscape Representation, the City, and Urban Identities), the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), and the postgraduate programme in history of the Institute of Philosophy and the Humanities of UNICAMP.

After the very fruitful reflections on the relationship between heritage and cultural diversity in 2014 in Montreal, we propose to examine the meaning of heritage in the context of the spectacularization of cityscapes and the growing desire manifested by citizens around the world to shed light on their respective heritage. In today’s “hyperconnected” world, this often means finding a way to make a building or a cultural practice more appealing to the medias, a process that, at the same time, is often criticized for rendering an unauthentic image of heritage. Brazil, with its rich cultural heritage and the recent and upcoming mega-events that seem to reshape its urban landscapes on a daily basis, is undoubtedly a great place to hold such a discussion on both the potential and observed effects of spectacularization on heritage.

This meeting brings together heritage experts from eight countries, taking us on a journey throughout North and South America, Europe, and Africa. A vast array of topics, such as the branding of war memorials, urban branding and heritage, heritage in the media sphere, and tourism in poor and endangered neighbourhoods will enable a rich and profound reflection on the meaning of heritage in this “media turn” as well as on the idea of heritage as a cultural and economic resource in an age of tremendous urban transformations.

We thus encourage you to attend the Eleventh International Young Scholars Conference on Heritage and live a rich research experience as well as a rare moment for sharing with passionate people your reflections on the heritage of diversity.

Words of Welcome