Abstract
This contribution investigates the role of cultural heritage in fostering community resilience to natural hazards in Val Resia, a mountain valley within the Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve. The research is part of the RETURN partnership funded by the PNRR and aimed at co-developing an understanding of how intangible values such as cultural identity, collective experiences and local practices are key factors in fostering community resilience and can support different phases of disaster risk management.
Stakeholders from different sectors, including local institutions, civil society, cultural organizations and residents, participated in multiple activities based on the future search conference approach. Ttransdisciplinary participatory methods and visual techniques facilitated a reflective process to uncover how cultural heritages, local practices and sense of belonging influence the design of DRR and CCA strategies. Using temporal lenses - past, present and future- participants engaged in critical dialogue on the role of cultural heritage and collective experiences in community resilience.
Data collected from workshop was analyzed through coding with the support of qualitative data analysis software and tested against a conceptual framework.
Key findings revealed a strong attachment to the territory, expressed through local cultural practices and rich local knowledge, as well as the deep connection between the community's cultural heritage and its response to natural events. They also highlight the multi-faced challenges faced by remote and mountain communities that threaten the preservation and integration of traditional knowledge in DRM strategies. This empirical case study allowed us to benchmark our results towards a theoretical framework previously developed to operationalize the nexus between cultural heritage and community risk resilience, clarifying how different types of heritage can support specific dimensions of risk reduction.
The research underscores the importance of community-based knowledge co-production, raising awareness of local challenges and looking into systemic dynamics leading to risks. Main intended output of this study is to contribute to the development of a replicable model for communities facing similar hazards, emphasizing the role of cultural heritage in fostering resilient societies.