Safeguarding Traditional Cultures: A Global Assessment

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Safeguarding Traditional Cultures: A Global Assessment of the 1989 UNESCO Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore, Peter Seitel (Editor), Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, The Smithsonian Institution.

The following review of the book was provided by J. S. Jones:

This volume of collected writing was created from the conference “A Global Assessment of the 1989 Recommendation of the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore: Local Empowerment and International Cooperation. UNESCO-Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Smithsonian Institute-Center for Folk life and Cultural Heritage produced the conference and publication.

The three day event took place in Washington DC, in June 1999. Interesting to note that the US participated in this event and in the production of the publication, but was not serving as a Member State of UNESCO at this time.

The importance of this subject brought together UNESCO and the Smithsonian to do this conference and then compiled this publication because of the value and importance of cultural heritage. The conference gathered 37 participants from 27 nations from an array of backgrounds and expertise.

This publication provides insight into the conference and the various reports, questionnaires and analyses that were discussed at the conference. The texts come from writing produced before, during and after the conference. All provide insight into the value of protecting traditional practices and culture.