User:Patrimoine de Wallonie/sandbox

Heritage of Wallonia
The Heritage of Wallonia is as rich and diverse as the region itself where the natural, and built landscape, rural, industrial and religious heritage rub shoulders and intermingle with each other. And let’s not forget the historic urban centres and typical villages.

Wallonia's heritage policy relies largely on Conventions and other pertinent international texts on the matter. Thus, its main objective is the "integrated preservation" of heritage. Actions revolve around key words in Conventions, identifying, protecting, preserving and managing, to which is added in increasing measure, the participation of citizens.

Five World Heritage sites (UNESCO)
Since 1996, the year the Convention on the protection of world cultural and natural heritage was ratified by Belgium, Wallonia has had five World Heritage (UNESCO) sites added to this prestigious list, a remarkable testimony to its civil and religious architecture, its archaeological and industrial heritage. Alongside France and Flanders, it shares the belfries of Belgium and France while four sites make up the major Wallonia mining sites.

Exceptional Heritage
Every three years, taking inspiration from Unesco's criteria for the World Heritage list, the Walloon Government draws up a [|list identifying the most remarkable aspects of Walloon heritage] (215 sites on the current list). This regular review allows the Walloon government to integrate ongoing changes to the heritage concept into its selection.

Protection is provided through listing
By delegation of the Walloon government, the Minister of Heritage may recognise, by ministerial order, the heritage value of specifically-identified cultural properties, thereby ensuring their longevity with a view to passing it on. In Belgium, the first law governing the listing procedure was adopted in 1931. It has been reviewed on several occasions in line with developments in the area of heritage and the context of management: and archaeological sites have been added to monuments and sites. The justifications for listing heritage have been extended to take into account artistic, historical, technical, scientific, social, archaeological, landscape, aesthetic, architectural, urban and memorial interests.

For several decades now, citizens are involved in the listing process. A particular procedure (a petition) allows them to be part of the process and a public survey lets them give their opinion on a listing project initiated by others.

Currently, nearly 4,000 properties are listed in Wallonia, including monuments (2,750), sites (1,130), archaeological sites and architectural units.

Inventories
In terms of identification, Wallonia was the first region in Belgium able to publish a complete inventory of its architectural heritage. This inventory is currently being updated. Entirely digitised, the Inventory is now online with an interactive development that allows the general public to complete the information available.

In addition to this regular and prospective work, thematic inventories are based on typologies, both varied and diverse: from natural ice houses to keeps, historic gardens, 19th century parish churches and even water towers. In terms of archaeology, regular inspection of known or identified sites is carried out, as well as potential archaeological zoning, all transposed onto a digital map. As well as enriching knowledge, these inventories also constitute precious tools that support management.

Preservation of listed properties: Monitoring, maintaining and restoring
Preservation is made a priority by encouraging owners to regularly maintain their listed property, which is supported by technical and financial assistance. Thus, an assessment of the properties’ sanitary status is carried out every five years. Any work that needs to be done is identified and ranked according to priority. This process encourages open dialogue with the owner and helps better planning of any necessary action.

Preventive and curative maintenance are subject to specific, relatively quick procedures, and receive significant subsidies. For larger-scale restoration work, a participative approach allows a restoration project to be developed. The approach relies on a procedure based on the dialogue between all stakeholders: the owner, architect, town, town planners, administration, and experts, both to respond to any concerns that the owner might have and to ensure that high-quality techniques and materials are used, as well as to respect the heritage values that justified the listing. Here as well, openness to society is encouraged by increasing the level of subsidies when the property is accessible to the public or part of a development scheme backed by the public authorities.

The concern to involve the public in managing its heritage is also expressed through subsidies for the Walloon patrimoine populaire" (small popular heritage)''' which help restore and draw attention to small built elements that brighten up people's everyday surroundings, serve as a reference for the local population or contribute to a sense of belonging.

Archaeology: prevention, research and reports
Wallonia's heritage policy also concerns the management of Walloon archaeology by giving priority to preventive excavations, safeguarding of archaeological material and the development of data through scientific and pedagogical publications. Salvage excavations are also carried out where necessary and more rarely, pre-planned excavations that concern a few particularly important sites with significant scientific potential, such as the neolithic flint mines of Spiennes (World Heritage) or the Sclayn Cave where the remains of a Neanderthal child were found.

The Walloon Minister of Heritage relies on three institutions to implement its policy
The Department of Heritage is the administrative body in charge of implementing legal and regulatory measures related to heritage. It is part of a larger administration that brings together other issues: regional planning, town planning, housing and energy. The Department of Heritage employs more than 250 staff, the professional profile of whom reflects the diversity of tasks entrusted: excavation experts, technicians, art historians, archaeologists, historians, architects, accountants, administrative staff as well as geographers, bioengineers, photographers and so on.

The Walloon Institute of Heritage is a public-interest body created in 1999 to complete the tasks entrusted to it by the Walloon government. There are three differents types of task: property management, training in heritage-related professions and awareness-raising. On the one hand, property management involves the management of heritage properties owned by the Walloon region and, on the other, provides support to owners of monuments under threat or before being made subject to a regeneration project. The Walloon government identifies monuments that are entrusted to the institute.

Finally, the Royal Commission of Monuments, Sites and Excavations is a ministerial advisory body. Founded in 1835, it is the oldest Commission in Belgium. It has 93 voluntary members appointed for five years in virtue of their experience on the subject of heritage. The Commission is called upon to provide advice on listing proposals, restoration projects, maintenance and on any question submitted by the Minister responsible for Heritage. It also disposes of a right of initiative.

This overview of Wallonia's heritage policy would not be complete without mentioning the 400 or so associations in Wallonia which are dedicated to the preservation and promotion of heritage.

Department of Heritage

 * Directorate-General of Regional Planning, Housing, Heritage and Energy | Wallonia Public Service
 * Rue des Brigades d’Irlande, 1 | B-5100 Jambes
 * Pierre Paquet,Acting Inspector-General | pierre.paquet@spw.wallonie.be

Links

 * 1) http://dgo4.spw.wallonie.be/dgatlp/dgatlp/pages/patrimoine/.../default.asp
 * 2) http://www.wallonie.be/fr/competences/tourisme-loisirs-et-sport/patrimoine
 * 3) http://eo.belspo.be/Directory/OrganisationDetail.aspx?orgID=276
 * 4) http://www.wallonie.be/fr/guide/guide-services/16172
 * 5) http://www.crmsf.be/fr/patrimoine/acteurs-0
 * 6) http://www.institutdupatrimoine.be/index.php/component/content/article?id=115
 * 7) http://www.demeures-historiques.be/images/contents/27_1511_file.pdf