This research, titled "Roots of Resilience," examines how cultural heritage organisations can foster resilience in communities within Brazil's Iron Quadrangle region, particularly in the face of environmental disasters and climate change. Led by People's Palace Projects in partnership with Inhotim Institute and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) with £128,000 from November 2020 to October 2021, the project used a participatory methodology called Relative Values to evaluate the socio-economic impacts of cultural activities across six partner organisations. The research combined qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how these organisations contribute to building community resilience.
The study was structured around four key axes: analysing the regional context through official statistics, examining the actions of cultural organisations through interviews, evaluating their socio-economic impacts through surveys, and assessing hazard perception related to cultural heritage. The findings revealed that cultural heritage is an essential tool for building community capacity and resilience, while also highlighting the increased risks that mining exploitation and climate change pose to both communities and cultural heritage in the region. The research emphasised the importance of the precautionary principle in preventing disasters and made recommendations for policies, practices and future research to better protect cultural heritage and strengthen community resilience.
The research revealed three main findings:
Cultural heritage serves as a vital tool for building capacity and resilience in local communities facing environmental disasters and climate change. The research demonstrated that heritage organizations play a crucial role as facilitators in strengthening communities, fostering partnerships, support networks, active participation and social inclusion. The study found that 61.4% of respondents acknowledged that cultural heritage organizations' activities helped them handle problems affecting their mental health, and 94% indicated they sorely missed their organization's activities when interrupted.
The research emphasized that disasters are not natural, highlighting the importance of adopting the precautionary principle. The outcomes of adverse events, whether natural or manmade, depend on local communities' vulnerabilities and their capacity to adapt to threats and respond to events. The study revealed the need to develop and strengthen a culture of risk reduction and disaster prevention, which includes cultural heritage preservation and education for future generations. The survey showed that 75% of respondents believe they could influence the future and preservation of local cultural heritage.
Climate change amplifies the existing risks that mineral exploitation places on communities and cultural heritage in the Iron Quadrangle. The study identified that the ongoing impacts of climate change, such as the forecast increase in extreme events and rainfall in the region, escalate existing risks predominantly caused by mining activities. The research found that the main perceived threats to cultural heritage were lack of public funding (52.6%), environmental crimes (49.5%), and low community interest/involvement (45.8%). Additionally, 57.9% of respondents identified tailings dam failure as the biggest environmental threat to cultural heritage.
The findings also highlighted the economic potential of the cultural sector as an alternative to mining dependency, with cultural organizations demonstrating their ability to promote professional development and create employment opportunities in the creative sector.
Short title | Roots of Resilience |
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Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 1/10/20 → 1/11/21 |
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In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This project contributes towards the following SDG(s):