The Valletta Principles for the Safeguarding and Management of Historic Cities, Towns and Urban Areas

The valletta principles for The safeguarding and management of historic cities, towns and urban areas

Stefania Landi (ICOMOS Italia)

Humanity today must confront a number of changes. These changes concern human settlements, in general, and historic towns and urban areas in particular. The globalization of markets and methods of production cause shifts in population between regions and towards towns, especially large cities. Changes in political governance and in business practices require new structures and new conditions in towns and urban areas. These are also necessary to counteract segregation and social rootlessness as part of attempts to reinforce identity.

Within what is now an international framework of reflection on urban conservation, there is an ever‐ increasing awareness of these new demands. The organizations charged with the conservation of heritage and the enhancement of its value need to develop their skills, their tools, their attitudes and, in many cases, their role in the planning process.

CIVVIH (ICOMOS ‐ International Committee on Historic Towns and Villages) has therefore updated the approaches and considerations contained in the Washington Charter (1987) and the Nairobi Recommendation (1976), based on the existing set of reference documents. CIVVIH has redefined the objectives, attitudes and tools needed. It has taken into consideration the significant evolution in definitions and methodologies concerning the safeguarding and management of historic towns and urban areas.

The modifications reflect a greater awareness of the issue of historic heritage on a regional scale rather than just confined to urban areas; of intangible values such as continuity and identity; of traditional land use, the role of public space in communal interactions, and of other socioeconomic factors such as integration and environmental factors.