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Heritage Essay | Essay on Heritage for Students and Children in English

August 11, 2021 by Prasanna

Heritage Essay: The term “heritage” has many contexts – from history and society to culture and even heredity. We shall explore the meaning of this term from different contexts and understand its implications. In History, the term heritage refers to any processes or events that have a unique or special meaning in group memory. This could be something as simple as a yearly event (or a festival) that has been practiced over generations. Alternatively, cultural heritage refers to tangible or intangible heritage assets that are inherited over generations. However, it is important to understand that not all legacies of previous generations are considered “heritage”, instead, it is the result of selection by the society.

Moreover, most of us associate heritage with historical buildings, landscapes, works of art and ancient artifacts.  However, the term also applies to indigenous intellectual property, biodiversity and even folklore. Interestingly, some of these heritages are at risk of destruction or being lost to time. Hence, the preservation of heritage is sometimes called “preservation” or “conservation”. This is carried out through cultural centuries, national museums and other exhibitions. Countries may also strive to preserve heritage as it is often considered the crux of tourism – a major economic activity. In other words, heritage assets form a significant source of employment opportunities and revenue generation.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

As discussed above, the term heritage has multiple contexts, and we can classify these into three broad types. These include cultural property, intangible culture and natural heritage. As the name implies, “natural heritage” includes a region’s specific flora and/or fauna, natural environment and geological,  paleontological, geomorphological and mineralogical aspects. In other words, natural heritage can be defined as the total sum of elements present in biodiversity. Moreover, if a site is considered to have outstanding importance, it can be listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Currently, 183 natural sites are considered to be World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. As of 2020, there are currently 7 Natural World Heritage Sites in India. These include the Western Ghats, Great Himalayan National Park, Nanda Devi Valley of Flowers National Park, Kaziranga National Park, Sundarbans National Park, Keoladeo National Park and the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.

Cultural property includes tangible or physical properties such as buildings, paintings or artworks. Moreover, this class of property can be further classified into two types – moveable and immovable property. As the term implies, moveable property includes artworks, documents, machines, books, clothing and other artifacts which can be transported and are deemed worthy for preservation. Some of these objects might be significant in various disciplines or fields such as science, archeology or technology. Immovable heritage structures cannot be moved as it is unfeasible to do so. These can include extremely large machinery, art installations, buildings, monuments, industrial projects, residential projects and other historical locations. A total of 30 Cultural World Heritage sites have been identified in India as of 2020. Some of the most well-known heritage sites include Hill Forts of Rajasthan, Red Fort Complex, Humayun’s Tomb, Mountain Railways of India, Elephanta Caves, Fatehpur Sikri, Sun Temple, Ellora Caves and the Taj Mahal.

The third classification of heritage is “Intangible Culture.” Intangible culture refers to a particular culture’s non-physical aspects (such as customs) during a specific time period in history. It can be further understood as the formal rules which are observed in a specific cultural climate. Examples of these include customs, traditions, social values, language, spiritual and cultural beliefs, artistic expression and many other aspects of society. Unlike the other two forms of heritage, intangible culture is significantly harder to preserve than tangible objects. This is one of the reasons why there are quite a few extinct languages. That language has no living descendants, but it may continue to be in use as a liturgical or literary language.

Over the course of the earth’s 4 billion year history, no other species has transformed the earth like humans. Culturally, humans have a vast heritage that stretches several thousand years. From a purely psychological perspective, heritage provides us a sense of “oneness” and togetherness. Granted, countless wars have been fought throughout the years to represent the differences between cultures, but collectively, we represent one single species. Hence, it is imperative that the human heritage must be preserved, irrespective of the differences in culture. Moreover, some aspects of heredity such as “Intangible culture” are bound to become extinct as humans change and adapt to new political and cultural climates. Languages, traditions, practices are a few aspects of heritage that might disappear within a few hundred years. Granted, some forms of heritage, like national parks and robust structure might survive for countless generations, but other heritage sites are the remnants of a bygone era (such as the Renaissance or the Industrial Revolution). Hence, we should ensure that these kinds of heritage sites must be protected at all costs.

Another important aspect of heritage sites is its impact on the tourism industry. This industry also generates significant employment and investment opportunities. Today, most heritage sites around the world have seen commercialisation, where it has created opportunities for investment, employment and income production. Moreover, the economic impact associated with such activities are usually positive  – which results in job creation as well as awareness of the heritage sites. In conclusion, heritage is an important aspect for the human race. It collectively culminates thousands of years of development and societal growth. It also reminds us of our roots and the progress that we have achieved. Moreover, preservation of our heritage can be considered a moral duty that everyone must follow sincerely.

FAQs on Heritage Essay

Question 1. What is heritage?

Answer: The term heritage refers to any processes or events or places that have a unique or special meaning in group memory. Examples of heritage include language, artistic expressions, paintings, buildings, natural environment, biodiversity and more.

Question 2. How can heritage be classified?

Answer: Heritage can be classified into three types – cultural property, intangible culture and natural heritage.

Question 3. What is cultural property in heritage?

Answer: Among the three classifications of heritage, cultural property refers to tangible or physical properties such as buildings, paintings or artworks.

Question 4. What are the types of cultural property with respect to heritage?

Answer: Cultural property can be classified into two types, namely, moveable and immovable property.

Question 5. What is natural heritage?

Answer: Natural heritage refers to a region’s specific flora, fauna, natural environment, geological, paleontological, geomorphological and mineralogical aspects.

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Understanding Heritage: Beyond Buildings and History

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Introduction

The definition of heritage.

Personal Heritage: An Individual Connection

Official heritage: state involvement and cultural symbols, world heritage: cultural, natural, and mixed, intangible heritage: beyond physical objects, natural heritage: aesthetic and ecological value, the complexity of heritage.

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Wonder of the Day #2806

What Is Heritage and Why Is It Important?

SOCIAL STUDIES — Cultures of the World

Have You Ever Wondered...

• What is heritage?
• Why is heritage important?
• How can you celebrate your heritage?
• Social Studies ,
• Cultures Of The World ,
• Hispanic Heritage Month ,

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Stephanie. Stephanie Wonders , “ What is heritage and why is it important? ” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Stephanie!

Who are you? You might start to answer that question with your name. But, of course, you’re much more than a name. What are your talents? How about your dreams or your values ? All of these things (and many others) come together to make up your identity . 

Today’s Wonder of the Day is about something else that shapes your identity —your heritage. What is heritage? The word can be difficult to define! Heritage is always something that’s or passed down by families or other groups for many years.

However, heritage isn’t limited to concrete objects. It’s also the customs, traditions, and values shared by groups of people. One way to think about heritage is to break it down into three groups. These are the tangible , the natural, and the intangible . 

What tangible items can be part of a person or group’s heritage? It can include many human-made objects that hold cultural value. Some examples are national monuments and works of art. Many ancient sites are also part of this group. On a smaller scale, a family home can be part of an individual’s heritage.

Many parts of the natural world are also important to cultural heritage. This can include bodies of water, plant life, landforms , and more. One example is the Nile River . It has been part of cultural heritage in many African nations for centuries. Efforts to protect natural heritage are key in many cultures.

The intangible group includes any part of cultural heritage that you can’t feel through touch. Maybe you’ve read about forms of dance, like flamenco dancing . You might know about the music of mariachi bands or holidays like Eid . These are all examples of intangible heritage. Languages, holidays, and customs also make the list.

Exploring your own heritage can be fun. It can help you learn about yourself, your family, and your ancestors . But it’s also important to learn about the heritage of others. Doing so can help you build a stronger understanding of other cultures. It can also lead you to find things you may have in common with others!

You may already know that certain months of the year honor specific cultures. For example, September is Hispanic Heritage Month. Are you of Hispanic heritage? If so, it’s a great time to be with family and celebrate your culture. 

If you’re not part of a Hispanic culture, then September is a time to learn. Try reading about the Grito de Dolores or the tradition of the quinceañera . Learn about famous people of Hispanic heritage, like Frida Kahlo . You could also attend public Hispanic heritage celebrations as a learner. Always remember to show respect for the cultural heritage of others. After all, you’d want the same from them.

Of course, there are several other heritage months. American Indian Heritage Month is in November, and Black History Month is in February. May is both Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month. Of course, you don’t have to wait for these times of year. It’s always a great time to celebrate your heritage and learn about those of others. 

How would you describe your heritage? If you’re interested in digging deeper, invite a family member to join you. It can be a great learning and bonding experience.

Common Core , Next Generation Science Standards , and National Council for the Social Studies ."> Standards : CCRA.R.4, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.SL.2, CCRA.W.2, CCRA.W.4, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.L.1 , NCAS.A.1, NCAS.A.2, NCAS.A.3, CCRA.SL.4

Wonder What's Next?

Feel FRIDA share tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day with a friend!

Now that you’ve learned about different types of heritage and ways that it’s celebrated, try out the following activities with a friend or family member.

• Do you know much about your own heritage? What are some important parts of your culture? What foods are traditionally prepared? Are there dances or art that are significant? What about a mountain, lake, or river that has special meaning? Talk to a family member about your heritage and ask them some of these questions. Write an essay about what you learn and discuss it with a friend.
• This Wonder mentions that certain months are dedicated to honoring certain cultures and gives some examples, do you have a specific month that celebrates your heritage or just one that you identify with? Get a friend or family member to help you create a poster with colorful drawings and interesting facts about that month.
• You may not know much about your own heritage or have just started thinking about it. How do you get started learning about your own heritage? Check out this article about ways to get started exploring your own heritage and share what you learned with a friend or family member.

Wonder Sources

• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/special-topics-art-history/arches-at-risk-cultural-heritage-education-series/arches-beginners-guide/a/what-is-cultural-heritage (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/what-heritage (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/what-is-heritage/ (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://college.lclark.edu/student_life/multicultural_affairs/programs/heritage_months.php (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/ (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/what-is-heritage (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://learnersdictionary.com/ (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)

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LaKeitha , Ethan and Meredith from TX for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

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Question 1 of 3

Which of the following is NOT a form of intangible heritage, according to this Wonder?

• a a river Correct!
• b a dance Not Quite!
• c customs Not Quite!
• d a language Not Quite!

Question 2 of 3

This Wonder is mainly about. . .

• a which months of the year honor certain groups or cultures Not Quite!
• b the variety of dances important to Hispanic tradition Not Quite!
• c the different types heritage and the importance of learning about your own and others’ heritage Correct!
• d specific human-made objects that are recognized as culturally valuable to African American culture Not Quite!

Question 3 of 3

Hispanic American Heritage month, which is a celebration of culture and origin of Latinx and Hispanic Americans in the United States, occurs during which month?

• a February Not Quite!
• b September Correct!
• c November Not Quite!
• d May Not Quite!

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2.1 What is heritage?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘heritage’ as ‘property that is or may be inherited; an inheritance’, ‘valued things such as historic buildings that have been passed down from previous generations’, and ‘relating to things of historic or cultural value that are worthy of preservation’. The emphasis on inheritance and conservation is important here, as is the focus on ‘property’, ‘things’ or ‘buildings’. So (according to the Oxford English Dictionary, anyway), heritage is something that can be passed from one generation to the next, something that can be conserved or inherited, and something that has historic or cultural value. Heritage might be understood to be a physical ‘object’: a piece of property, a building or a place that is able to be ‘owned’ and ‘passed on’ to someone else.

In addition to these physical objects and places of heritage there are also various practices of heritage that are conserved or handed down from one generation to the next. Language is an important aspect of who we understand ourselves to be, and it is learned and passed from adult to child, from generation to generation. These invisible or ‘intangible’ practices of heritage, such as language, culture, popular song, literature or dress, are as important in helping us to understand who we are as the physical objects and buildings that we are more used to thinking of as ‘heritage’. Another aspect of these practices of heritage is the ways in which we go about conserving things – the choices we make about what to conserve from the past and what to discard: which memories to keep, and which to forget; which memorials to maintain, and which to allow to be demolished; which buildings to save, and which ones to allow to be built over. Practices of heritage are customs and habits which, although intangible, inform who we are as collectives, and help to create our collective social memory. We use objects of heritage (artefacts, buildings, sites, landscapes) alongside practices of heritage (languages, music, community commemorations, conservation and preservation of objects or memories from the past) to shape our ideas about our past, present and future.

Another way of thinking about this distinction between objects of heritage and practices of heritage is to consider the different perspectives through which heritage is perceived. For every object of heritage there are also heritage practices. However one group of people (say, professional heritage managers) respond to heritage, other people may respond differently. Thus, around an object of heritage, there may be value judgements based on ‘inherent’ qualities (which may indeed play a determining role in designating the object and conserving it), but there may well be other values which drive the use of the object (associations of personal or national identity, associations with history, leisure etc., as in the example of designation of Harry S. Truman’s otherwise humble dwelling as a National Historic Site discussed later in this course). For every object of tangible heritage there is also an intangible heritage that ‘wraps’ around it – the language we use to describe it, for example, or its place in social practice or religion. Objects of heritage are embedded in an experience created by various kinds of users and the people who attempt to manage this experience. An analogous situation exists in the art world in understanding aesthetics. There is no art without the spectator, and what the spectator (and critic) makes of the art work sits alongside what the artist intended and what official culture designates in a discursive and often contested relationship. So in addition to the objects and practices of heritage themselves, we also need to be mindful of varying ‘perspectives’, or subject positions on heritage.

The historian and geographer David Lowenthal has written extensively on the important distinction between heritage and history. For many people, the word ‘heritage’ is probably synonymous with ‘history’. However, historians have criticised the many instances of recreation of the past in the image of the present which occur in museums, historic houses and heritage sites throughout the world, and have sought to distance themselves from what they might characterise as ‘bad’ history. As Lowenthal points out in The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History, heritage is not history at all: ‘it is not an inquiry into the past, but a celebration of it ... a profession of faith in a past tailored to present-day purposes’ (Lowenthal, 1997, p. x). Heritage must be seen as separate from the pursuit of history, as it is concerned with the re-packaging of the past for some purpose in the present. These purposes may be nationalistic ones, or operate at the local level.

‘Heritage’ also has a series of specific and clearly defined technical and legal meanings. For example, the two places discussed earlier in this course are delineated as ‘heritage’ by their inclusion on the World Heritage List. As John Carman (2002, p. 22) notes, heritage is created in a process of categorising. These places have an official position that has a series of obligations, both legal and ‘moral’, arising from their inclusion on this register. As places on the World Heritage List they must be actively conserved, they should have formal documents and policies in place to determine their management, and there is an assumption that they will be able to be visited so that their values to conservation and the world’s heritage can be appreciated.

There are many other forms of official categorisation that can be applied to heritage sites at the national or state level throughout the world. Indeed, heritage as a field of practice seems to be full of lists. The impulse within heritage to categorise is an important aspect of its character. The moment a place receives official recognition as a heritage ‘site’, its relationship with the landscape in which it exists and with the people who use it immediately changes. It somehow becomes a place, object or practice ‘outside’ the everyday. It is special, and set apart from the realm of daily life. Even where places are not officially recognised as heritage, the way in which they are set apart and used in the production of collective memory serves to define them as heritage. For example, although it might not belong on any heritage register, a local sports arena might be the focus for collective understandings of a local community and its past, and a materialisation of local memories, hopes and dreams. At the same time, the process of listing a site as heritage involves a series of value judgements about what is important, and hence worth conserving, and what is not. There is a dialectical relationship between the effect of listing something as heritage, and its perceived significance and importance to society.

Some authors would define heritage (or at least ‘official’ heritage) as those objects, places and practices that can be formally protected using heritage laws and charters. The kinds of heritage we are most accustomed to thinking about in this category are particular kinds of objects, buildings, towns and landscapes. One common way of classifying heritage is to distinguish between ‘cultural’ heritage (those things manufactured by humans), and ‘natural’ heritage (those which have not been manufactured by humans). While this seems like a fairly clear-cut distinction, it immediately throws up a series of problems in distinguishing the ‘social’ values of the natural world. Returning to the example of the Great Barrier Reef discussed earlier in this course, for the Indigenous Australians whose traditional country encompasses the reef and islands, the natural world is created and maintained by ‘cultural’ activities and ceremonies involving some aspects of intangible action such as song and dance, and other more practical activities such as controlled burning of the landscape and sustainable hunting and fishing practices. It would obviously be extremely difficult to characterise these values of the natural landscapes to Indigenous Australians using a system that divides ‘cultural’ and ‘natural’ heritage and sees the values of natural landscapes as being primarily ecological.

Heritage is in fact a very difficult concept to define. Most people will have an idea of what heritage ‘is’, and what kinds of thing could be described using the term heritage. Most people, too, would recognise the existence of an official heritage that could be opposed to their own personal or collective one. For example, many would have visited a national museum in the country in which they live but would recognise that the artefacts contained within it do not describe entirely what they would understand as their own history and heritage. Clearly, any attempt to create an official heritage is necessarily both partial and selective. This gap between, on one hand, what an individual understands to be their heritage and, on the other hand, the official heritage promoted and managed by the state introduces the possibility of multiple ‘heritages’. It has been suggested earlier that heritage could be understood to encompass objects, places and practices that have some significance in the present which relates to the past.

In 2002 during the United Nations year for cultural heritage, UNESCO produced a list of ‘types’ of cultural heritage (UNESCO, n.d.). This is one way of dividing and categorising the many types of object, place and practice to which people attribute heritage value. It should not be considered an exhaustive list, but it gives a sense of the diversity of ‘things’ that might be considered to be official heritage:

• cultural heritage sites (including archaeological sites, ruins, historic buildings)
• historic cities (urban landscapes and their constituent parts as well as ruined cities)
• cultural landscapes (including parks, gardens and other ‘modified’ landscapes such as pastoral lands and farms)
• natural sacred sites (places that people revere or hold important but that have no evidence of human modification, for example sacred mountains)
• underwater cultural heritage (for example shipwrecks)
• museums (including cultural museums, art galleries and house museums)
• movable cultural heritage (objects as diverse as paintings, tractors, stone tools and cameras – this category covers any form of object that is movable and that is outside of an archaeological context)
• handicrafts
• documentary and digital heritage (the archives and objects deposited in libraries, including digital archives)
• cinematographic heritage (movies and the ideas they convey)
• oral traditions (stories, histories and traditions that are not written but passed from generation to generation)
• festive events (festivals and carnivals and the traditions they embody)
• rites and beliefs (rituals, traditions and religious beliefs)
• music and song
• the performing arts (theatre, drama, dance and music)
• traditional medicine
• culinary traditions
• traditional sports and games.

Some of the types of heritage are objects and places (‘physical’ or ‘material’ heritage) while others are practices (‘intangible’ heritage). However, many of these categories cross both types of heritage. For example, ritual practices might involve incantations (intangible) as well as ritual objects (physical). So we should be careful of thinking of these categories as clear cut or distinct. In addition, this list only includes ‘cultural’ heritage. Natural heritage is most often thought about in terms of landscapes and ecological systems, but it is comprised of features such as plants, animals, natural landscapes and landforms, oceans and water bodies. Natural heritage is valued for its aesthetic qualities, its contribution to ecological, biological and geological processes and its provision of natural habitats for the conservation of biodiversity. In the same way that we perceive both tangible and intangible aspects of cultural heritage, we could also speak of the tangible aspects of natural heritage (the plants, animals and landforms) alongside the intangible (its aesthetic qualities and its contribution to biodiversity).

Another aspect of heritage is the idea that things tend to be classified as ‘heritage’ only in the light of some risk of losing them. The element of potential or real threat to heritage – of destruction, loss or decay – links heritage historically and politically with the conservation movement. Even where a building or object is under no immediate threat of destruction, its listing on a heritage register is an action which assumes a potential threat at some time in the future, from which it is being protected by legislation or listing. The connection between heritage and threat will become more important in the later part of this course.

Heritage is a term that is also quite often used to describe a set of values, or principles, which relate to the past. So, for example, it is possible for a firm of estate agents to use the term in its name not only to mean that it markets and sells ‘heritage’ properties, but also simultaneously to invoke a series of meanings about traditional values which are seen as desirable in buying and selling properties. We can also think here about the values which are implicit in making decisions about what to conserve and what not to conserve, in the choices we make about what we decide to label ‘heritage’ and what view as simply ‘old’ or ‘outdated’. These values are implicit in cultural heritage management.

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Essay on Cultural Heritage

Students are often asked to write an essay on Cultural Heritage in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Cultural Heritage

Understanding cultural heritage.

Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes inherited from past generations. It includes traditions, languages, and monuments that are important to our identity.

Types of Cultural Heritage

There are two types: tangible and intangible. Tangible heritage includes buildings and historical places, while intangible heritage includes folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge.

Why is it Important?

Cultural heritage helps us understand our past and shapes our future. It gives us a sense of belonging and understanding of our community and others.

Preserving Cultural Heritage

We must respect and preserve cultural heritage, as it’s a bridge between the past, present, and future. It’s our responsibility to pass it on to future generations.

250 Words Essay on Cultural Heritage

Significance of cultural heritage.

Cultural heritage provides a sense of identity and continuity, offering a link from the past to the present and paving the way to the future. It is a mirror that reflects societal values, beliefs, and customs, serving as a valuable educational tool. It also contributes to social cohesion, fostering a sense of belonging and promoting mutual respect among different cultural communities.

Preservation of Cultural Heritage

The preservation of cultural heritage is crucial for maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization. It involves safeguarding significant cultural items and intangible aspects from threats such as natural disasters, conflict, and neglect. This task necessitates the collaboration of local communities, governments, and international organizations.

Cultural Heritage in the Digital Era

The digital era has brought new opportunities and challenges for cultural heritage. Digitization can help preserve and disseminate cultural heritage, making it accessible to a wider audience. However, it also raises issues related to copyright, authenticity, and the potential loss of context.

In conclusion, cultural heritage is an essential part of our shared human experience. It holds significant value for both individuals and societies, and its preservation is vital for our collective future.

500 Words Essay on Cultural Heritage

Introduction.

Cultural heritage, a term that signifies the wealth of physical artifacts and intangible attributes inherited from past generations, plays a crucial role in shaping societal identity. This heritage, passed from one generation to the next, encompasses practices, places, objects, artistic expressions, and values. It is a mirror reflecting the historical journey of a civilization, offering insights into its evolution, achievements, and challenges.

The Tangibility and Intangibility of Cultural Heritage

Intangible cultural heritage, on the other hand, refers to traditions or living expressions passed down over generations. This includes oral traditions, performing arts, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature, and traditional craftsmanship. The Flamenco dance of Spain, the tea ceremony of Japan, and the storytelling tradition of West Africa are examples of intangible heritage that shape the cultural identities of these regions.

The Importance of Preserving Cultural Heritage

Preserving cultural heritage is of paramount importance for several reasons. Firstly, it promotes a sense of identity and continuity in a fast-changing world, offering a source of pride and belonging for communities. Secondly, cultural heritage serves as a bridge between the past and the present, providing valuable lessons and guiding societal progress. Lastly, cultural heritage is an important driver of tourism, contributing to economic growth and sustainable development.

Challenges in Cultural Heritage Preservation

In conclusion, cultural heritage is an invaluable asset that offers a window into the past, shapes present identities, and guides future progress. It is a testament to human creativity, resilience, and diversity. As such, it is incumbent upon us, as custodians of the past for future generations, to safeguard and preserve our cultural heritage. This requires concerted efforts at local, national, and international levels, as well as the integration of heritage conservation into broader socioeconomic development strategies.

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What Is Heritage? Discover Your Cultural Identity

Defining what is your heritage means understanding your inherited sense of family identity. Explore these questions and activities to strengthen and better express your own sense of heritage.

Defining Your Heritage

The word “heritage” brings to mind different ideas for different people—and it should. Heritage is a person’s unique, inherited sense of family identity: the values, traditions, culture, and artifacts handed down by previous generations. We absorb a sense of our heritage throughout our lives as we observe and experience the things that make our family unique. Although not every inherited trait, tendency, or tradition is positive, we generally consider heritage to be the positive and meaningful elements of our family’s identity that we incorporate into our own lives and pass along to succeeding generations.

Heritage can express itself in many ways. Some families define their heritage primarily as their ethnic, cultural, or national identity. Other families can point to values that have been passed on, such as a love for education, participation in community life, a strong work ethic, or religious devotion. People may feel that an inherited aptitude—such as for music or mechanics, athletics or art—is part of their heritage.

How to Discover Your Heritage

Some people have a strong sense of their heritage. They can point to a flag hanging proudly nearby or repeat stories and traditions shared by their parents or grandparents. Some have a confident sense of the unique interests,occupations, or values found in their family.

Others may have to look a little more closely to identify traces of heritage in their lives. Asking the following questions may help people discover elements of their family’s unique legacy in their lives:

• How would I define my ethnic, cultural, or national identity? How does this identity shape my sense of who I am?
• What traditions or rituals do I observe, either in everyday life or on special occasions? Where do those traditions come from?
• What are my most prized values, hobbies, or interests? Did my parents, siblings, grandparents, or other relatives share these?
• What positive traits, tendencies, or aptitudes would I use to describe my family in general? How do these traits manifest in my life?
• What values, traits, interests, or hobbies do I have that I see in my own children or grandchildren or that I would wish to see manifested in younger generations in my family?

Another approach to discovering heritage is to search your family tree and family stories. What nations of origin or ethnic backgrounds are most prominent? If you participate in the FamilySearch Family Tree, it is easy to create a fan-chart view that highlights your ancestral birthplaces, such as the one shown below:

Find Your Ancestors' Homeland

If you already know what countries your family came from, or you just discovered it from looking at your Family Tree , you can dive into learning more about your ancestors' homelands from the list below.

Connect With Your Ancestors

As you explore your family tree, identify patterns by asking these kinds of questions:

• Do historical records show patterns in your family’s occupations, especially jobs relating to certain values, interests, or skills?
• Do you see traditions or traits echoed in the kinds of photos your family takes or what objects they have chosen to keep?
• What values or feelings do your most important family stories impart?

If you can attend a family reunion or meet with relatives, consider asking others what is meaningful to them about your shared heritage. Some who seek a stronger sense of cultural or ethnic identity turn to DNA testing . Ethnicity percentages, while not always reliable or specific, may help you discover your ancestral places or cultures of origin.  Connecting with DNA matches can reveal heritage that has been passed down through other branches of the family.

What You Can Do to Honor Your Heritage

For many people, the most meaningful way to honor their heritage is to include elements of it in their own lives. They live the positive values they were taught and pass them on to others. They may choose activities or traditions that help them feel connected to their loved ones. Heirlooms, family photos, and other tangible reminders of their heritage may be displayed in their homes. They may also create new traditions that communicate the values they hope will outlive them.

Many who want to honor their heritage spend time learning about and expanding their family tree. They may interview relatives , label old photos , gather family recipes , and write down the stories they discover so as to preserve a more lasting legacy. Some even travel to ancestral hometowns or homelands to learn more about their heritage and feel more connected to past generations.

Start or explore your family tree for free on FamilySearch.org.

Learn More about Discovering Your Cultural Identity

At FamilySearch we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  To learn more about our beliefs, click here .

Essay on Indian Heritage for Students and Children

500+ words essay on indian heritage.

Heritage means what we inherit from our ancestors and from our past. India is a land of varied cultures and traditions. People from numerous castes, religions, and creeds reside in our country. Each ethnic group in our country has its own tale of origin and its set of unique traditions and culture. They have all contributed to the making of Indian history and culture. Nature has made India into a distinct geographical entity.

Indian Heritage: A Gift from the Older Generations

Indian heritage and culture are vast and vivid because of the large number of religious groups residing in our country. Every community has its own set of customs and traditions which it passes on to its younger generation.

However, some of our customs and traditions remain the same throughout IndiaOur traditions teach us to inculcate good habits and make us a good human being. Our cultural heritage is thus a beautiful gift from our older generation that will help us become a better human being and build a harmonious society.

Respect for our Indian Heritage

The elders should take responsibility to invoke love for the Indian heritage in the younger generations. This must be done from the very beginning only then we can preserve our rich heritage. It is the duty of the elders to invoke love for the Indian heritage in the younger generations.

This must be done from the very beginning only then we can preserve our rich heritage. Schools must teach students about Indian heritage and how it has survived for centuries. They must also share the importance of preserving it. This would help in invoking a feeling of pride in them and they would be inspired to continue the tradition and also pass it on to the new generation. This needs a collective effort by the teachers as well as parents.

Our Literature

Indian literature is as rich as its culture. We have various books written on many topics since ancient times. We have the Vedic literature, epic Sanskrit literature, Classic Sanskrit literature and Pali literature among other kinds of Indian literature. Many of our books are being translated to other languages to provide access to a greater number of readers so that more and people can benefit from the knowledge. Such a wonderful and rich literature must be preserved at any cost.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Beautiful Geological Structures

Numerous beautiful geological structures found in different parts of India. Best of the splendid geological structures that form a part of our country include Lonar Crater Lake, Siachen Glacier, Jammu and Kashmir, Pillar Rocks, Kodaikanal, Barren Island, Andamans, Magnetic Hill, Leh, Columnar Basaltic Lava, Udupi, and Toad Rock. All these structures are true wonders of nature. A lot of tourists every year from around the world especially visit these places just to catch a glimpse of these marvelous creations of God.

UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites in India

The below geological places have been enlisted in UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites. These sites include:

1. Home for the rare one-horned rhinoceros, Kaziranga National Park, in 1985.

2. Home for numerous species of beautiful birds, Keoladeo National Park, in 1985.

3. A beautiful wildlife sanctuary, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, in 1985.

4. The biggest mangrove forest, Sundarbans, in the year 1987.

5. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park, in 2004.

6. The Western Ghats, in 2012.

7. The Great Himalayan National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 2014.

India is an ancient country. We are blessed with a beautiful heritage. We are solely responsible to preserve the same so that our future generations also get to see and experience the same.

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What is heritage?

Heritage is a deceptively simple idea. It can be considered to be made up of the practices and traditions that are passed on from parents to children, but it also has to do with what has been passed on from the family, community and place where people have been raised. For example, heritage can include a family's professional history; religious affiliation; or cultural traditions.  Yet heritage also includes that which is part of the national consciousness. A person who was born in South Africa, for instance, has both a national South African heritage, as well as a more personal and private one. Such a person might also be considered to have an African heritage too, because they were born on the continent of Africa. 

Clearly then, there are different types of heritage. A country’s natural heritage is its beautiful environment and natural resources, like gold and water. Areas that are very special and where animals or plants are in danger of extinction like the St. Lucia Wetlands and uKhahlamba Drakensberg Parks in KwaZulu Natal are said to be World Heritage Sites, because they are considered to be so unique that they are internationally respected and protected against harm.

Cultural heritage might include natural resources or land formations, but is also formed of those things that are symbollic of the creativity and livelihoods of a group of people. For instance, it could include special monuments, buildings, sculptures, paintings, cave dwellings or anything else deemed important because of its history, artistic or scientific value. The style of buildings can also be considered part of one's cultural heritage because of their specific type of architecture, where they are built or what they are used for. Therefore, Robben Island, the Cradle of Humankind at the caves of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans and Kromdraai in Gauteng, the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park and the ancient city of Mapungubwe in Limpopo are all examples of South African cultural heritage.

When people talk about South African heritage, they might be referring to anything from famous stretches of coastline in Kwazulu-Natal , to shweshwe fabric, to Bunny Chow. Heritage is therefore something quite personal and changes from person to person.  

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Heritage Day Essay Guide for Grade 10 Learners

This page contains an essay guide for Grade 10 History learners on how to write a Heritage Day essay (introduction, body, and conclusion). On the 24th of September every year in South Africa, there is a great celebration of all cultures and heritages of all South Africans. This was after the Inkatha Freedom Party proposal in 1996.

Background on South African Heritage Day

Before you write your essay, you should first know what heritage day is and what it means.

The word ‘heritage’ can be used in different ways. One use of the word emphasises our heritage as human beings. Another use of the word relates to the ways in which people remember the past, through heritage sites, museums, through the construction of monuments and memorials and in families and communities (oral history). Some suggest that heritage is everything that is handed down to us from the past.

One branch of Heritage Studies engages critically (debates) with issues of heritage and public representations of the past, and conservation.

It asks us to think about how the past is remembered and what a person or community or country chooses to remember about the past. It is also concerned with the way the events from the past are portrayed in museums and monuments, and in traditions. It includes the issue of whose past is remembered and whose past has been left unrecognised or, for example, how a monument or museum could be made more inclusive.

Important: you should include relevant images to go with your key points. You can find plenty of images on the internet, as long as you provide the credits/sources.

When you write your Heritage Day essay as a grade 10 student, you will get great marks if you include the following structure:

• Provide a brief history linked to heritage day
• The main key issues you will be discussing throughout your essay
• Explain the changes that were made to this public holiday.
• Explain how the day is celebrated in schools, families, workplaces and other institutions like churches etc.
• How does the celebration of the holiday bring unity and close the gaps of the past?
• Explain how the celebration of the day enforces the application of the constitution of South Africa.
• What key points did your essay cover?
• What new knowledge did you learn or discover?
• What are your views on “Heritage Day”?

Example of “Heritage Day” Essay for Grade 10 Students

Below is an example of how to write an essay about Heritage Day for grade 10 learners, using the structure discussed above:

Introduction:

Heritage Day, celebrated on the 24th of September, is a South African public holiday that serves as a reminder of the nation’s rich cultural heritage and diverse history. The day was established to honor the various cultures, traditions, and beliefs that make South Africa a truly unique and diverse country. This essay will discuss the history of Heritage Day, the changes made to this public holiday, and how its celebration promotes unity and reinforces the South African Constitution .

Changes to Heritage Day:

Initially known as Shaka Day, Heritage Day was introduced to commemorate the legendary Zulu King Shaka who played a significant role in unifying various Zulu clans into one cohesive nation. However, with the advent of a democratic South Africa in 1994, the day was renamed Heritage Day to promote a broader and more inclusive celebration of the nation’s diverse cultural heritage.

Celebrations in Various Institutions:

Heritage Day is celebrated in numerous ways throughout South Africa, with schools, families, workplaces, and religious institutions all participating. In schools, students and teachers dress in traditional attire, and activities such as cultural performances, food fairs, and storytelling sessions are organized to educate learners about different cultural backgrounds. Families gather to share traditional meals, pass down stories, and engage in cultural activities. Workplaces often host events that encourage employees to showcase their diverse backgrounds, while churches and other religious institutions use the day as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of tolerance and acceptance.

Promoting Unity and Closing Gaps:

The celebration of Heritage Day has played a vital role in fostering unity and bridging the divides of the past. By appreciating and acknowledging the various cultures and traditions, South Africans learn to respect and accept one another, ultimately creating a more harmonious society. The public holiday serves as a platform to engage in conversations about the nation’s history, allowing for a better understanding of the diverse experiences that have shaped South Africa.

Enforcing the South African Constitution:

Heritage Day also reinforces the principles enshrined in the South African Constitution, which guarantees cultural and linguistic rights to all citizens. By celebrating and embracing the diverse cultures, South Africans put into practice the values of equality, dignity, and freedom as envisioned by the Constitution.

Conclusion:

In this essay, we have explored the history and significance of Heritage Day, its transformation from Shaka Day, and how it is celebrated across various institutions in South Africa. We have also discussed how the celebration of this day fosters unity and enforces the principles of the South African Constitution. Heritage Day serves as a reminder that our differences make us stronger, and that through understanding and embracing our diverse backgrounds, we can build a more inclusive and united South Africa.

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What is Heritage?

This chapter introduces the concept of heritage and examines its various uses in contemporary society. It then provides a background to the development of critical heritage studies as an area of academic interest, and in particular the way in which heritage studies has developed in response to various critiques of contemporary politics and culture in the context of deindustrialisation, globalisation and transnationalism. Drawing on a case study in the official documentation surrounding the Harry S. Truman Historic Site in Missouri, USA, it describes the concept of authorised heritage discourses (AHD) in so far as they are seen to operate in official, state-sanctioned heritage initiatives. Where the other chapters in the book contain substantial case studies as part of the discussion of the different aspects of the politics of heritage, this chapter focuses instead on key concepts, definitions and ideas central to understanding what heritage is, and on heritage studies as a field of inquiry. The chapter suggests that critical heritage studies should be concerned with these officially sanctioned heritage discourses and the relationships of power they facilitate on the one hand, and the ways in which heritage operates at the local level in community and identity building on the other. It provides a number of explicit ideas and reference points to which the authors of the other chapters will return through the course of the book.

Related Papers

Emma Waterton

Academics did not create heritage, but they disciplined it, so to speak, in the late 20 th century. Heritage was already happening in the context of multiculturalism and globalization as " people all over the world … turned to ethnic and cultural identity as a means of mobilizing themselves for the defense of their social and political-economic interests " (Turner, 1993, p. 423). It was also happening via the mechanisms of UNESCO's World Heritage List, which were beginning to operate as early as 1978, and as mass tourism opened up new horizons for that industry. Indeed, cultural heritage was – and is – on the move: heritage is in action. One clear demonstration of this is the " overproduction " of heritage. Whether it is the expansion of the World Heritage List (1,031 inscriptions as of 2015 with no end in sight/sites, if we may be permitted the pun), the proliferation of museums, individual and community heritagizing actions, business sector appropriations of heritage discourse and imagery, the new European Heritage Label, or heritage-justified internal and international ethnic strife—it seems that everything and anything is being declared, contested and/or performed as heritage. Moreover, heritage now travels with a mobile population – temporary, permanent and along a scale between those extremes – and it (re)creates and reconfigures itself in its destinations. Heritage is produced and mobilized by individuals and communities in any number of actions, including remembering, forgetting, generating, adapting and performing. Heritage shapes and reshapes people's sense of place, sense of belonging and cultural identities locally and nationally. Clearly, then, heritage does " work " (Smith, 2006). And as work, cultural heritage is a tool that is deployed broadly in society today. It is at work in indigenous and vernacular communities, in urban development and regeneration schemes, in expressions of community, in acts of memorialization and counteracts of forgetting, in museums and other spaces of representation, in tourism, in the offices of those making public policy and, all too frequently, in conflicts over identity and the goals of those politics of identification. Thus, heritage is not simply an inert " something " to be looked at, passively experienced or a point of entertainment; rather, it is always bringing the past into the present through historical contingency and strategic appropriations, deployments, redeployments, and the creation of connections and reconnections. It implicates how memory is produced, framed, articulated and inscribed upon spaces in a locale, across regions, nationally and, ultimately, transnationally. It enables us to critically engage with contemporary social and political issues of grand import while also being a familiar prop drawn upon to make sense of more mundane processes of negotiating self, place, home and community.

After Heritage

Claudio Minca

Alexandra Kolesnik

The cultural heritage was defined in the 19th century in many European countries and the United States as “objects of cultural value.” In the context of building national states mostly material objects, archaeological sites and historical monuments, were marked as heritage. Further transformation of the concept of heritage took place after the World War II, when not only national and mostly European states, but also new international organizations (United Nations, UNESCO and later European Union) began to re-define and revise cultural heritage. The large-scale transformations in the social sciences and the humanities in the 1960–70s influenced the formation a new research field in the 1980s, heritage studies. Using the approaches taken from public history and cultural, memory, postcolonial and gender studies, heritage studies conceptualize heritage in more broad temporal boundaries and network of agents involved in the process of its formation. Within heritage studies, cultural heri...

International Journal of Heritage Studies

Kynan Gentry , Laurajane Smith

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Heritage Studies on 2 Feb 2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2019.1570964. Off print available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/VDBDZKJASRJBW2IJBVG3/full?target=10.1080/13527258.2019.1570964 In recent years an interest in ‘critical heritage studies’ (CHS) has grown significantly – its differentiation from ‘heritage studies’ rests on its emphasis of cultural heritage as a political, cultural, and social phenomenon. But how original or radical are the concepts and aims of CHS, and why has it apparently become useful or meaningful to talk about critical heritage studies as opposed to simply ‘heritage studies’? Focusing on the canon of the 1980s and 1990s heritage scholarship – and in particular the work of the ‘father of heritage studies’, David Lowenthal – this article offers a historiographical analysis of traditional understandings and approaches to heritage, and the various explanations behind the post-WWII rise of heritage in western culture. By placing this analysing within the wider frames of post-war historical studies and the growth of scholarly interest in memory, the article seeks to highlight the limitations and bias of the much of the traditional heritage canon, and in turn frame the rationale for the critical turn in heritage studies.

Journal of Social Archaeology

Herdis Hølleland

Uses of Heritage (2006) has been an important contribution to the development of Heritage Studies. Resting on a thorough ‘re-read’ of this modern classic, the article analyses the text applying some central concepts from Critical Discourse Analysis and Critical Realism in order to review the arguments put forward. One of the linguistic features from Critical Discourse Analysis we draw on is ‘nominalization’, which refers to replacing verb processes with a noun construction. Re-reading Uses of Heritage and other succeeding publications, it is apparent that the phrase ‘Authorized Heritage Discourse’ is nominalized and reified into an entity obscuring who does what to whom, thereby making the ‘Authorized Heritage Discourse’ a self-evident unit of explanation. Furthermore, the insistence on viewing heritage as a cultural process rather than as ‘things’ is not readably compatible with Critical Realism’s non-reductionist stance. Wrapping up, we nonetheless argue that really taking Critical Discourse Analysis and Critical Realism on board could provide a rule of conduct for the future developments of Heritage Studies, where multifarious conceptions of heritage can co-exist.

Routledge International Handbook of Heritage and Politics

Laurajane Smith , Christopher Whitehead

Introduction to the Routledge International Handbook of Heritage and Politics

Lucy Walker

I am interested in the power of things and ideas to bring people together and develop our thinking about contemporary issues. As an archaeologist, landscape and social historian I find that people engage with the human past to make sense of the present, and therefore the quality of that engagement is significant. Evidence suggests that 'heritage' can be an important tool for social empowerment, and in my practice I work with a range of people and organisations to encourage wider participation, enabling alternative perspectives, the creation of new and different knowledge, and multiple narratives. In this paper I offer a critique of i) the narrow interpretations often provided by presenters of 'Heritage' as part of our UK and European tourism/visitor agenda, and ii) how much of it, including our archaeology, historic landscapes and museum collections, can be difficult to engage with in meaningful ways – partly because of the interpretations offered, partly because of perceived academic/professional barriers and partly because they may literally be difficult to access. I provide a few examples of public engagement which attempt to get round these obstacles and illustrate the value of working in partnership with museums, writers, artists, musicians, film-makers and scientists, to enable community groups to explore aspects of our past to help find our present voices.

Routledge eBooks

Sandra Shakespeare

An exploration of 'heritage', a critique of the way it is often packaged or may be difficult to access, and an acknowledgement of the importance and value of enabling a wider range of people to engage with our heritage resources in meaningful ways that encourages multiple perspectives.

David Harvey

This is the author's post-print version. Details of the definitive version are available at: http://www.ashgate.com/. © 'The Ashgate Research Companion to Heritage and Identity', Brian Graham and Peter Howard (eds), 2008, Ashgate

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Personal Identity — The Important Aspect of My Personal Identity: My Cultural Heritage

The Important Aspect of My Personal Identity: My Cultural Heritage

• Categories: Cultural Identity Personal Identity

About this sample

Words: 877 |

Published: Sep 7, 2023

Words: 877 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, defining identity, an aspect of my personal identity, influences on my experiences, impact on my perspectives, influence on relationships, contributions to goals and values, contribution to personal growth and development.

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• Post-Election

What is Project 2025 And Why Is It Alarming?

By Matt Cohen

June 28, 2024

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The general election is still about four months away and, with the latest polls showing an incredibly tight race , anything can happen in that time. But that hasn’t stopped former President Donald Trump who, in concert with top Republicans and conservative figures and organizations, already sketched out a plan to reshape the federal government in their image. 

The plan is called Project 2025 — a collection of policy transition proposals that outline how, should Trump win the November election, he can vastly remake the federal government most effectively to carry out an extremist far-right agenda. 

“It is not enough for conservatives to win elections,” the project’s website states. “If we are going to rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left, we need both a governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on day one of the next conservative administration. This is the goal of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project.”

What, exactly, is Project 2025?

Simply put, Project 2025 is a massive, 920-page document that outlines exactly what the next Trump presidency would look like. This doesn’t just include policy proposals — like immigration actions, educational proposals and economic plans — but rather a portrait of the America that conservatives hope to implement in the next Republican administration, be it Trump or someone else. The document is a thorough blueprint for how, exactly, to carry out such a vision, through recommendations for key White House staff, cabinet positions, Congress, federal agencies, commissions and boards. The plan goes so far as to outline a vetting process for appointing and hiring the right people in every level of government to carry out this vision. 

The opening essay of the plan, written by Heritage Project President Kevin D. Roberts, succinctly summarizes the goal of Project 2025: a promise to make America a conservative nation. To do so, the next presidential administration should focus on four “broad fronts that will decide America’s future.”

Those four fronts include:

• Restore the family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children.
• Dismantle the administrative state and return self-governance to the American people.
• Defend our nation’s sovereignty, borders, and bounty against global threats.
• Secure our God-given individual rights to live freely—what our Constitution calls “the Blessings of Liberty.”

The rest of the document sketches out, in detail, how the next Republican administration can execute their goals on these four fronts. That includes comprehensive outlines on what the White House and every single federal agency should do to overhaul its goals and day-to-day operations — from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Defense, Small Business Administration and Financial Regulatory Agencies. Every sector of the executive branch has a detailed plan in Project 2025 that explains how it can carry out an ultra-conservative agenda. 

Project 2025 is supported by the same right-wing groups bringing dozens of anti-democracy lawsuits that will impact the outcome of this year’s election.

Democracy Docket is the only news outlet tracking and reporting on these cases — sign up for our free daily and weekly newsletters to get the latest updates sent straight to your inbox.

Why should we be worried about Project 2025?

As The New Republic notes , Project 2025 is “a remarkably detailed guide to turning the United States into a fascist’s paradise.” The primary document of Project 2025, the magazine explains, lays out what is essentially a “Christian nationalist vision of the United States, one in which married heterosexuality is the only valid form of sexual expression and identity; all pregnancies would be carried to term, even if that requires coercion or death; and transgender and gender-nonconforming people do not exist.”

It’s a terrifying vision of what American life could look like, but what’s most concerning about Project 2025 is its playbook for the first 180 days of a hypothetical second Trump term. “The time is short, and conservatives need a plan,” the playbook states. “The project will create a playbook of actions to be taken in the first 180 days of the new Administration to bring quick relief to Americans suffering from the Left’s devastating policies.”

Among the numerous troubling suggestions laid out in the playbook is a detailed plan to essentially purge the federal workforce of tens of thousands of workers in favor of hiring ones who will adhere to the conservative principles of Project 2025. Paul Dans, a former Trump administration official who’s director of Project 2025’s Presidential Transition Project, told the Associated Press the 180 day transition plan is a “clarion call to come to Washington… People need to lay down their tools, and step aside from their professional life and say, ‘This is my lifetime moment to serve.’”

Much of the 180-Day Playbook reads like a cult’s recruiting pamphlet, explaining how department and agency heads should be vetting potential candidates. “This book is functionally an invitation for you the reader—Mr. Smith, Mrs. Smith, and Ms. Smith—to come to Washington or support those who can,” Dans writes in the intro to the Playbook . “Our goal is to assemble an army of aligned, vetted, trained, and prepared conservatives to go to work on Day One to deconstruct the Administrative State.”

Who’s behind Project 2025?

Project 2025 is the brainchild of The Heritage Foundation , the 50-year-old conservative think tank that’s among the most influential right-wing organizations in the country. 

In its nearly half century of existence, The Heritage Foundation has used its resources, influence and money to push its conservative agenda in just about every facet of American life: anti-abortion advocacy , voter suppression , anti-climate policies , and anti-LGBTQ advocacy . 

Though The Heritage Foundation organized Project 2025 , the initiative is actually a coalition made up of more than 100 right-wing groups, including notorious groups like America First Legal , the Public Interest Legal Foundation and Moms For Liberty . According to NBC News , a huge web of right-wing dark money groups connected to Project 2025, led by the Leonard Leo-connected Donors Trust, has seen a large bump in donations since the project was announced. 

The chapters in the Project 2025 plan and 180-Day Playbook were written by “more than 400 scholars and policy experts from across the conservative movement and around the country,” the group says. That includes former Trump administration officials and notable right-wing figures, like former Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller , former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli , and Peter Navarro , a former top trade advisor to Trump.

Read the full 2025 Project plan here.

What is Project 2025? The Presidential Transition Project explained.

The detailed plan to dismantle and reconstruct the government laid out by  conservative groups  known as the 2025 Presidential Transition Project has critics up in arms over its " apocalyptic " and " authoritarian " nature.

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C., led an effort to create the more than 900-page  "Mandate for Leadership,"  published in April 2023, reimagining the executive branch and presented a plan to overhaul several federal government agencies, including the FBI, for the country's next conservative president to follow.

More: Project 2025 head says 'second American Revolution' will be 'bloodless if the left allows'

According to the Project's website, the playbook provides a governing agenda and a lineup of people ready to implement it to "rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left." It includes a domestic and  foreign policy  agenda, a list of personnel, training, and a 180-day playbook.

"It is not enough for conservatives to win elections," Project 2025  said on its website . "With the right conservative policy recommendations and properly vetted and trained personnel to implement them, we will take back our government."

Project 2025's Director is  Paul Dans , who served as the U.S. Office of Personnel Management chief of staff in former President Donald Trump's administration. Although it mentions Trump by name, the handbook does not directly assume the Republican party's presumptive nominee will be the one to carry out its agenda.

What is in Project 2025?

The mandate attacks several policies that former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden instituted, including  student loan forgiveness  and  Obamacare . It simultaneously calls for expanded executive power for the commander-in-chief while criticizing what Project 2025 members perceive as overreaches by the Biden administration.

"Presidents should not issue mask or vaccine mandates, arbitrarily transfer student loan debt, or issue monarchical mandates of any sort," the plan reads. "Legislatures make the laws in a republic, not executives."

The playbook calls for the reinstatement of a  Trump executive order  augmenting a president's power to hire and fire federal officials by replacing civil servants with political appointees throughout government.

It also seeks to repeal aspects of the  Affordable Care Act , urge the Food and Drug Administration to reverse the  approval of abortion pills , and further empower Immigration and Customs Enforcement to  deport undocumented immigrants .

The plan also specifically addresses LGBTQ+ issues and attacks "radical gender ideology." In addition to calling for an end to the Department of Education, it suggests legislation that would forbid educators from using transgender students' names or pronouns without written permission from their guardians. It also appears to oppose same-sex marriage and gay couples adopting children by seeking to "maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family."

Project 2025 generates concern

Project 2025 has received substantial criticism from Democrats, including  Representative Jasmine Crockett , D-Texas, who called out the controversial plan during a congressional hearing last month.

"I don't know why or how anybody can support Project 2025," Crockett said. "In the United States of America, dictatorships are never funny, and Project 2025 is giving the playbook for authoritarianism as well as the next dictator to come in."

Progressive Democrat U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts called it a "far-right manifesto" in a  post on TikTok . The Biden campaign captioned a video detailing Project 2025, stating it "needs more attention."

Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, as @rachelbarber_

What is Project 2025? The conservative road map is raising a lot of eyebrows, on both sides of the aisle.

• Project 2025 is a road map for the next Republican president.
• The Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative think tank, authored the plan.
• It calls for eliminating the Education Department, among some other surprising things.

Well before the disastrous presidential debate during which President Joe Biden may have handed the keys to the White House back to former President Donald Trump, conservative thinkers were assembling a game plan.

In January 2023, The Heritage Foundation began promoting Project 2025, a 922-page "playbook" assembled with input from dozens of other conservative organizations to guide the next Republican administration.

"The time is short, and conservatives need a plan," reads the website for the right-wing presidential transition plan . "The project will create a playbook of actions to be taken in the first 180 days of the new Administration to bring quick relief to Americans suffering from the Left's devastating policies."

Related stories

Some of Project 2025's priorities include:

• Slashing employment in the federal government and muzzling "woke propaganda at every level of government"
• Eliminating the Department of Education and its "woke-dominated system of public schools"
• Prohibiting the FBI from fighting misinformation and disinformation
• Ending the "war on fossil fuels" and allowing further development on Native American lands
• Ending active FBI investigations that are "contrary to the national interest"

The plan is so extreme that even Trump has distanced himself from it, writing on Truth Social this week that he knows "nothing about Project 2025."

"I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them," Trump wrote.

A spokesperson from Project 2025 told Business Insider that the playbook "does not speak for any candidate or campaign."

"We are a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups advocating policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative president. But it is ultimately up to that president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations to implement," the spokesperson said.

Watch: Donald Trump announces 2024 presidential run amid legal woes

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Sign up for essence newsletters the keep the black women at the forefront of conversation., 'this is our heritage': keshia knight pulliam on black people finding freedom in farming.

With inflation , it’s getting very difficult for people to afford food. In addition to that, individuals are struggling to obtain healthy food. An answer for a growing number of Black people to this issue is to grow their own fare. Some are growing fruits and vegetables in their backyards, others on the balconies of their apartments. And then there are some who are full-fledged farmers . Like Keshia Knight Pulliam .

“We have a farm outside of Atlanta, Georgia, about 17 acres,” the actress and entrepreneur shared as the moderator for the “Freedom in Farming” conversation at ESSENCE Festival of Culture’s Food and Wine activation. “We have a couple of goats, some chickens, some vegetables, and it is our joy.”

“I think what a lot of people forget is that this is our heritage,” she shared while opening up about her passion for the practice. “We didn’t start as slaves, and when we came over, we brought with us seeds, we brought with us rice, we brought with us the knowledge of farming that allowed this country to be what it is.”

Our panelists were in agreement. They included Dreka Gates, who owns a 43-acre blueberry farm in Mississippi, Clarenda “Farmer Cee” Stanley of Green Heffa Farms in North Carolina, and Bill Releford, D.P.M, of Bloom Ranch in California.

“I literally had this crazy awakening, epiphany, whatever you want to call it. I just got the itch to go to the farm,” Gates shared on stage of her beginnings with farming. “And so at the end of 2019, something just came over me and told me, ‘Girl, you to go to the farm.'”

“I planted a couple of apple trees, which actually we got some apples this season, so I was so excited for that. But I’m growing over 60 different types of fruits and vegetables,” she says. “I have plums, apricots, pomegranate, kale, all different types of lettuces, tomatoes, eggplants.”

For Farmer Cee, she says it all started for her with a man.

“There was a man who stressed me out a little bit, so I needed some herbs to kind of calm that thing down,” she said. “He was going through an extended career transition and I asked him what he wanted to do. He said he wanted to farm. Turns out he really didn’t want to work. So, I got to the point where I wanted to keep what I appreciated the land did. The man, I did not. So I decided to grow medicinal plants and herbs.”

“So my approach to farming is very much from the entrepreneurial angle,” she added. “I grow to self-source for my own products, as well as I contract with other Black farmers to source for our products. In addition, we received a U-S-D-A grant of half a million dollars for the Black Women to Farming program. So it’s about putting money back into farmers’ pockets so they have the economic prosperity that’s needed to be the economic catalyst that we often are for our community.”

As for Releford, his work with patients as a doctor seeking to prevent limb amputations caused by diabetes, motivated him to take over the helm of Bloom Ranch.

“Me specializing in diabetes, I realized that our patients needed to see real healthcare from the ground up. So now I’m growing the fruits and vegetables my patients need,” he said. “So for me, this is my way of really walking the walk and talking the talk and growing what our people really need to see. Black farmers have a place in dealing with health disparities and cardiovascular disease in our community. And I want Bloom Ranch to be the positive beacon of what we can do when we grow our own food to feed our own people.”

How is Releford aiming to feed the community? There’s levels to it, he shared. “One of the things we’re doing, we’re launching the Bloom Ranch subscription program. We’re going to ship directly from the farm to people in Southern California and some of those food deserts, no in between, no wholesaling. We’re going straight from the farm to schools, and farm to medical centers,” he said. “We are talking about controlling our own nutritional destiny, taking control of our own health. Taking it in our own hands.”

When asked what advice the panelists would give to people out there who may have interest in growing their own fruit but don’t know where to start or feel like it’s too big of a task to take on, they all talked about the importance of starting small.

“Start low,” Gates specifically said. “Yes, start low and go slow. We have window sills and you have balconies. There are such things as microgreens that you can grow on your window sill.”

“They have ready-to-grow kits that you can purchase online. But really, just start small,” Gates added. “Think about some of the things, like herbs, that you already consume, and just start there. It’s super rewarding.”

For those who have bigger aspirations and would like to get into owning a farm of their own, you don’t need the biggest piece of land to get started.

“The USDA only requires that you have 100th of an acre in order to be a farm that’s recognized by the government,” Farmer Cee said. “So I would say do your market research. And as far as growing, I would say, piggybacking on what Dreka suggested, is to start low: tomatoes, peppermint, there are things that are very easy to produce.”

“Grow where you are,” says Releford said. “Bloom Ranch has a program called Grow Where You Are. In the Future, we’re going to give you some of the fertilizer that you use. So maybe a pot, things like that. It doesn’t have to be that much. Maybe you can supplement what you grow or what you buy from the store. So start and grow where you are.”

For all of the farmers, they found a bigger purpose in the work they do in the soil. As for Releford, he says not only does creating your own food benefit you and those around you, but it can physically and mentally uplift you as well.

“My assignment as a Black man is to decrease the amputation rate in the Black community. The Black community has the largest amputation rate in the world. So for Bloom Ranch, this is another part of my mission, to address that whole issue,” he said. “So the main thing with diabetes and cardiovascular disease is how can we encourage people to eat better? Exercise more? Farming is a form of exercise. If you start moving around, just pick up a hoe or a rake and see how many calories you can burn. You can burn 500 calories an hour when you’re raking and, hoeing, watering.”

“And the mindfulness part of it too is huge,” Releford added. “The fulfillment of accomplishment, watching something grow, tending to it every day. Come tomorrow, it will be a flower the next day. It’s a piece of fruit. All of that gives you that sense of accomplishment.”

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Heritage Foundation Head Refers to ‘Second American Revolution’

Kevin Roberts, president of the group that has coordinated the Project 2025 policy plan, said it could be “bloodless if the left allows it to be.”

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By Maggie Astor

The president of the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank that has developed a prominent series of policy plans to overhaul the federal government under a Republican president, said on Tuesday that the country was “in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.”

The group’s president, Kevin D. Roberts, made the comments in an interview on “The War Room,” the Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon’s show on the network Real America’s Voice. (Mr. Bannon himself did not host the show on Tuesday, because he reported to prison the day before to serve a sentence for contempt of Congress.)

Mr. Roberts was discussing the Supreme Court’s ruling on Monday that presidents have substantial immunity from prosecution for what they do in office, a ruling that upended the criminal case against former President Donald J. Trump for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and that removes a potential barrier to the most radical elements of his second-term agenda if he is elected again.

“We ought to be really encouraged by what happened yesterday, and in spite of all of the injustice — which of course friends and audience of this show, of our friend Steve, know — we are going to prevail,” Mr. Roberts said, alluding to Mr. Bannon’s imprisonment.

He went on to say that “the radical left” was “apoplectic” because “our side is winning” and said, “And so I come full circle in this response and just want to encourage you with some substance that we are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.”

“Right on. Thank you, brother,” the interviewer, former Representative Dave Brat of Virginia, replied.

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