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The process of repurposing an old or historic building for a new use while retaining its heritage values. Examples include converting an old factory into apartments, or a historic palace into a library. Adaptive reuse gives historic structures renewed life and utility, ensuring their preservation by integrating them into contemporary needs, often with sensitive design modifications that respect the building’s character.

Source: ICCROM, ICOMOS

In the context of heritage institutions (like museums, archives, or cultural sites), this refers to planning and processes that enable operations to continue or quickly resume after an emergency or disruption. A Business Continuity plan might cover backup sites for exhibitions, data recovery for digital archives, or temporary relocation of collections to ensure services and preservation activities are maintained.

Source: UNDRR, UNESCO

The active involvement of local community members in the preservation, interpretation, and decision-making processes of cultural heritage. This goes beyond one-way communication – it includes workshops, community-led activities, volunteer programs, and forums where residents can share knowledge and voice concerns. Genuine community engagement helps make heritage initiatives more sustainable, as they reflect the community’s own priorities and foster local stewardship.

Source: ICCROM, UNESCO

A preservation technique used mainly for paper, books, and archival documents to neutralize acids and slow down deterioration. Paper manufactured from the 19th century onwards often contains acidic compounds that lead to yellowing and embrittlement. Deacidification treatments (such as spraying or immersion in alkaline solutions) raise the pH level of paper, extending the lifespan of these documents.

Source: ICCROM, ICOMOS

Practices and policies that ensure all genders have equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from cultural heritage activities. In heritage conservation and community projects, gender inclusion might involve encouraging women’s leadership in what may have been male-dominated preservation fields, recognizing gender-specific heritage (like women’s oral traditions or crafts), and making sure interpretation at sites reflects the experiences of all genders.

Source: ICCROM, UNESCO

The practice and field dedicated to protecting, conserving, and restoring historic buildings, sites, and artifacts for the future. It involves research, planning, and interventions that respect the original character and significance of heritage places while keeping them functional and safe.

Source: UNESCO, ICOMOS

A regular process under UNESCO conventions where States Parties report on the status and conservation of the sites or elements inscribed under those conventions. For World Heritage Sites, for example, countries must submit periodic reports outlining the condition of the sites, any threats faced, and actions taken. This mechanism helps the international community monitor the preservation of heritage and identify needs for support or corrective measures.

Source: UNESCO, Hague Convention, UNIDROIT, ICOM

Preservation is a conservation approach or technique used to stabilize, preserve, or restore heritage materials and structures. It aims to protect significance while minimizing unnecessary change and documenting all interventions.

Source: ICCROM, ICOMOS

A UNESCO treaty formally known as the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. It sets out guidelines and legal frameworks for preserving shipwrecks, sunken cities, and other submerged heritage. The convention discourages treasure-hunting and commercial exploitation of underwater sites, promoting instead scientific research and in-situ preservation (leaving items under water when feasible) so that these relics of human history are protected for future generations.

Source: UNESCO, Hague Convention, UNIDROIT, ICOM