Communities and identities

• Explore lost, dissonant and new heritage narratives through cultural mega-events.

• Anticipate the challenges inherent in a mega-event’s intensified use of cultural heritage.

• Address heritage criticalities and mitigate social and political conflict.

Cultural mega-events can help explore lost, dissonant and new heritage narratives, strengthen community identities and diversify heritage appreciation.

• Widely inclusive engagement practices can lead to understanding heritage beyond historic landmarks and long-established practices, celebrating larger environments and contexts, lesser-known traditions and long-silenced stories.

• Exploring heritage through the arts and culture in innovative ways encourages local communities to engage with and appreciate cultural heritage.

• Promoting heritage narratives in a mega-event should avoid stereotypes and oversimplifications generated solely for tourists. Such narratives should foster multiple interpretations of heritage for local and regional audiences by highlighting different cultures, traditions and communities.

• Differentiating the profile of locals and tourists and diversifying their expected engagement/attendance can help mobilise different audiences and provide cultural opportunities that meet all user groups' interests.

Anticipating the problems and challenges inherent in the intensified use of cultural heritage is key to ensuring an event's success and the long-term care of heritage.

• The preparation of studies and research on historical places and heritage is essential. Such studies can reduce the risk of a mega-event damaging the authenticity of built and intangible heritage and can facilitate the decision-making process.

• Regular maintenance of the city’s heritage should be prioritised. Works should be implemented not only for the mega-event itself or for tourist attractions but should support longer-term socio-economic well-being and cultural viability.

• Cultural heritage policies and mega-event programs should include modern and contemporary sites that risk being overlooked, undervalued and consequently lost to future generations.

• By using cultural and natural heritage in a sustainable manner, mega-events can engage with and educate local communities about its value and protection over time.

Addressing heritage criticalities can enrich mega-event related plans and projects, helping mitigate social and political conflicts.

• Enhancing cultural heritage infrastructure and accessibility can valorise sites and introduce new functions and uses for underused or neglected amenities and spaces that go beyond tourism. Such action should not threaten the sense of belonging of individual communities.

• Local, national and international artists and cultural organizations can help foster change in public space, collective memory and local identities to create a more liveable city and stimulate pride of place by reframing local heritage and/or pushing the typical boundaries between culture and heritage practices.

• Long-term strategies for heritage in a mega-event should include a risk management chapter that addresses: potential conflicting narrations, the politicisation of the cultural narratives/identities of cities and neighbourhoods, the exclusion of certain social groups, issues of authenticity.

• Acknowledging the range of shared values regarding cultural heritage assets enables building diverse and inclusive heritage coalitions and projects that transcend established national identities and borders.

• Broadening a mega-event’s focus on local and regional populations can enhance involvement and volunteering, potentially reducing the stress on heritage sites while also sustaining endogenous demand for events in case of emergencies that limit international access and mobility.