Heritage interpretation and human rights: documenting diversity, expressing identity, or establishing universal principles?

This article highlights the central role of public interpretation in helping to integrate human rights concerns in the evaluation and management of World Heritage sites. Beginning with a brief survey of the relationship of cultural heritage to human rights in the United Nations (UN) system, it will then analyse the evolving concepts of culture in UN and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization policy. The paper will identify three distinct culture concepts and associated interpretive approaches that are of potential relevance to rights-based heritage management: (1) interpretation as the accurate, objective documentation of heritage sites; (2) interpretation as an expression of collective identity; and (3) interpretation as promotion of the universal value of cultural diversity. The paper will conclude with an assessment of how the systematic integration of all three approaches may serve to enhance current heritage practice with a concern for human rights.