Mission & Selection Criteria
The Dzaleka Heritage Site Register seeks to encourage the identification, documentation, and safeguarding of cultural, historical, and natural heritage within the settlement considered to be of outstanding value to the community.
Safeguarding Community Heritage
Cultural and natural heritage are irreplaceable sources of identity and inspiration. Within Dzaleka, numerous sites—from gathering spaces and historical landmarks to cultural hubs—hold profound historical and social significance, yet remain formally undocumented.
This independent register establishes a definitive, community-led archive. Its purpose is to catalyze local knowledge preservation and facilitate greater awareness of the settlement's architectural, cultural, and natural assets. By adhering to rigorous standards of documentation, the register ensures that sites of communal importance are recorded with the highest degree of integrity and authenticity.
Selection Criteria
To be inscribed on the Dzaleka Heritage Register, sites must be of outstanding communal value and meet at least one of the following criteria:
i
Historical Testimony
To bear a unique or exceptional testimony to the political history, displacement, or cultural traditions of the community.
ii
Collective Memory
To be directly or tangibly associated with living traditions, beliefs, and collective memories of outstanding significance.
iii
Human Settlement
To be an outstanding example of traditional settlement, land-use, or community resilience representing human interaction with the environment.
iv
Natural Significance
To contain areas of exceptional natural beauty, or vital ecological and communal importance for conservation and recreation.
Guiding Principles
Independent Documentation
The register exists as a public, community-led record. It is not an official government or UN authority list, but rather a reflection of community memory.
Living Heritage
We document not only the past, but the present. Markets, gathering spaces, and cultural centers are recognized as vital living heritage.
Public Reference
Researchers, journalists, and visitors can use this archive to understand the profound historical and cultural significance of local places.
Care & Preservation
By recording a site, we elevate its visibility and encourage attention, care, and future preservation efforts from the community and partners.
Contribute to the Archive
The archive relies on the community to identify and document significant spaces. You can help by submitting a site, suggesting an update, or providing historical photographs.