Heritage Interpretation: a tool for conservation, protection and management of Environmental and Cultural Heritage

During the post-earthquake reconstruction process of the territory of L'Aquila, amongst the various initiatives aimed at relaunching the area from a social, economic and cultural point of view, in March 2015 the University of L'Aquila, the Institute of Construction Technologies of the Italian National Research Council, Federparchi, the Roffredo Caetani Onlus Foundation and the Pangea Onlus Institute signed an agreement to promote and develop education and research activities in the field of Environmental and Cultural Heritage Interpretation. The principles of this new discipline have been adopted by ICOMOS in 2008 (Charter on the Interpretation and Presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites). The Interpretation represents a current methodological tool for conservation purposes, the preservation and management of cultural heritage and environment as well as for local communities, to manage investments aimed at developing sustainable tourism.