Cultural heritage, be it material or immaterial, sits at the intersection of the past and the present. Though fragile, heritage is kept alive through the efforts of those who seek to protect, restore, and reimagine it for future generations. How do we advocate for the continuation and preservation of local traditions while ensuring that the voices of community members are heard? How are group identities tied to cultural heritage in all its various forms? Delegates are invited to discuss such questions and develop or expand existing frameworks aiming to protect culture, ranging from oral traditions to natural sites. Through an ethical, legal, and political lens, delegates should examine, consider, and discuss how to formulate frameworks regarding heritage in unprecedented and intense times of transformation. 

The first topic of this committee pertains to cultural heritage in times of crisis and during post-war recovery periods. This topic encourages delegates to take a closer look at, for instance, world heritage sites that have suffered damage during conflicts or ancestral cultural practices that younger generations are aiming to revive. Recovery is a long and complex route, and delegates should take into account its non-linear path when drafting plans and policy suggestions. 

As for the second committee topic, it pushes delegates to develop strategies to identify and preserve intangible cultural heritage, referring to heritage that does not take a physical or material form, but also to note how heritage evolves, especially with technological advancements and the increased international intervention in local communities. Case studies will explore in more depth previous attempts at preserving intangible cultural heritage for generations to come. Overall, cultural heritage, far from being frozen in time, is incredibly alive and exists in a state of perpetual transformation. However, we must remember the delicate nature of heritage and combine efforts in order to preserve, share, and protect it in our dynamic world. 

Please note this is a double delegation committee.

The Dais