85513 - Workshop and Internships on Projects for Inventoryng, Preserving and Disseminating Innovative Traditional Knowledge

Learning outcomes

The workshop aims at introducing students to the activities and projects of ITKI – International Traditional Knowledge Institute: mainly the creation of a data bank of traditional techniques and sustainable technologies that will become a prime source of visibility and certification for ideas, practices, and businesses committed to the preservation of landscapes, ecosystems and cultural heritage. Through ITKI, traditional solutions and innovative proposals are being disseminated by the 800+ UNESCO sites worldwide and by an international network of foundations, study centers, experts and practitioners. By the end of the workshop, students will be able to join the building and implementation of the ITKI DataBase, available to governors, local authorities, and citizens, and participate in projects concerning the application of innovative traditional knowledge to the sustainable development and management of natural and cultural heritage. In this regard, students’ internships could be carried out within projects currently run by the Institute.

Course contents

Tradition and community. This module will introduce theories and experiences to take communities closer to their heritage. Concepts of common goods, manuals for design and preservation, tacit knowledge in traditional skills will be discussed. Examples from the mountainous communities of the alps, from Spain and Italy, and from the daily experience will be considered in the discussion.

Keywords: common goods, tacit knowledge, design and preservation manuals, traditional skills, traditional materials

The main concepts of preservation: from the theory to the international conventions. In this morning session the students will get familiar with some of the main concepts of conservation in heritage, starting from the positions of the 18^th century to the concrete development of the theory of conservation in the 20^th century. This general overview will be accompanied by the analysis of the development of the legal protection movement with a specific emphasis on the work of UNESCO. In this respect, a specific attention will be given to the World Heritage Convention and its potential impact at local level. Critical case studies will be included in the presentation

Generating awareness-raising and reaching co-design for cultural and environmental regeneration.Taking reference from the international experience, methodologies for the active participation of citizens will be investigated, starting from the site (urban or rural) assessment, to the actual co-design and co-implementation of actions.

Traditional knowledge and new generations, Cultural Heritage and Circular Economy. In this module examples of ongoing innovation cooperation in the field of traditional knowledge and innovation are diplayed, with a specific focus on young generations. International experiences will be displayed, showing how different perspectives are possible to boost possible new scenarios of investments in traditional skills and competences.

Keywords: traditional knowledge and skills, Young generations and innovation, legal frameworks, educational perspectives

Cultural Districts, Cultural Territorial Systems and Management plans. A general comprehensive approach to regional development through traditional skills and their possible innovative enhancements. The students get familiar with the concepts of Cultural District as developed by Walter Santagata, on Cultural Territorial Systems, as developed in the DELTA project and reused in the Management Plans Guidelines of the Italian Ministry of Culture, and finally on the management plans methodologies as developed in different context, as the SUSTCULT project.

Keywords: cultural district, CTS, Management plan, Distretti culturali, Cariplo

Teaching methods

Given the intensity of the Workshop also in correlation with others, different experiences will be done, namely:

• direct lecturing, displaying contents, methods, examples, in a traditional form, using power point, websites, videos, etc.
• open discussions on specific topics, engaging participants in fruitful debates with reference to their own provenance and experience;
• group works, implemented both online and on site
  

Assessment methods

Students will be evaluated for their active participation in the lectures and for their interactive capacity and attitude during the group works. Small assignments will be also delivered in the first lecturing module, to be assessed the week after.

Teaching tools

- Power points

- videos

- web-sites

- distribution of study material

Office hours

See the website of Marco Acri