Culture is at the basis of a symbolic world full of meanings, believes, values, traditions and as such it holds a fundamental role in human development. Cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, includes a wide variety of artistic and cultural forms of expression like, inter alia, literature, the visual arts, architecture, music and theatre and may provide important benefits for society and the economy. The cultural experience is not only a single event in the life of an individual, it can also contribute to the development of joint sense of identities in sparse population. European citizenship as well as economic and social development stipulate a better protection, promotion and use of the European cultural heritage.

Moreover, the dissemination and valorization of cultural outputs requires new production and consumption modalities (ACRI, 2003). This has significant, yet often untapped, potential for stimulating jobs and economic growth, and fosters the development of other sectors in the economic system. Culture thus holds an essential role for the creation of national wealth through numerous implication of social, economic and political nature. In particular, to invest in cultural resources means contributing to improve the quality of life in a specific territory, attracting new economic, financial, and human resources, improving social and territorial cohesion as well as defining new types of artistic careers. This advancement bears side effects on the development of multi cultural societies.

Due to this, it is important to foster creative and innovative approaches, including development of new tools and methods, to the preservation of cultural heritage and its transmission to future generations. Also, the adoption of new technologies offers innovative opportunities and dynamic managerial perspectives.

As highlighted by the Faro Convention (Art.1, 2005) “the value and potential of the cultural heritage, if adequately managed as a resource, is the key element for the lasting development and for the quality of life in a society in continuous evolution”. The knowledge of the cultural heritage and the cultural tourism represent therefore an essential resource to facilitate the peaceful coexistence, where the different values must be respected and developed through an integrated management approach.

Bearing in mind that only preserving the awareness about the past, the new generations can be committed in creating a better future, the International Conference on Sustainable Cultural Heritage Management aims at offering a unique venue to gather academics, practitioners, and citizens to discuss the core elements of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainability.