Heritage is the inheritance of material and immaterial goods that our parents and ancestors have left us throughout our history thanks to which we have an identity; we know who we are and where we come from.
Currently we are facing problems regarding the conservation and protection of our heritage. we are victims of trafficking in cultural property, our archaeological and historical sites are being preyed upon with modern constructions without control. Out natural areas suffer constant depredation by the big logging companies as well as the informal mining companies. They threaten our animal and plant species are threatened and are aided by the negligence of the authorities and the indifference of our citizens.
Out heritage not only refers to the material, physical heritage, it also refers to what we call living culture such as our folklore, our customs, traditions, natural medicine, our beliefs, our myths, legends, our culinary art, our dances, our language and everything that we can transmit live or through practical demonstrations such as dance.
It is our duty and right to take care of this legacy, to learn our Quechua language, to dance our typical dances, to listen to our Andean music, to learn from our grandparents the healing power of plants, to know our archaeological and historical sites, because we cannot allow the memory of our ancestors to be lost and with it our identity.
We still need to create better laws and projects to protect our legacies, as well as to elaborate heritage conservation and management programs. This task of conservation depends not only on our authorities, but on the entire population as a whole because protecting and defending it is our Duty and right. We are all active participants in the preservation of our cultural heritage. That is the legacy for our future generations. Let us not forget that knowing, respecting, and valuing our culture is a key element to build a better future.
