Cracow 1991 81 II. Culture and Heritage 10. The participating States express their deeply-held conviction that the cultural heritage of each one of them constitutes an inalienable part of their civilization, their memory and their common history, to be transmitted to future generations. 11. The participating States take note of the definitions of archaeological property, of the cultural heritage and of the architectural heritage in the relevant international documents of the Council of Europe and UNESCO. 12. The complete and lasting documentation of sites, structures, cultural landscapes, objects and cultural systems, including historical, religious and cultural monuments, as they presently exist, is one of the most important legacies to the cultural heritage that can be provided for future generations. 13. The participating States also recognize as vital elements of their common cultural heritage, the heritage of those cultures which, because of language barriers, climate and geographical distance, limited population or turns of history and political circumstances, have not been widely accessible. 14. The participating states will endeavour to protect the cultural heritage, in compliance with relevant international agreements and with their domestic legislation. 15. The participating States will pay heed to the preservation, enhancement and restoration of the cultural heritage when drawing up cultural, environmental and regional and urban planning policies. They further note the importance of relating individual conservation projects to their authentic urban or rural environment, where appropriate and whenever possible. 16. The participating States recognize the importance of making their cultural heritage as widely accessible as possible. In doing so, they will pay particular attention to the needs of the handicapped. 16.1 They will endeavour to safeguard the heritage from damage which may be caused by management of and public access to it. 16.2 They will promote public awareness of the value of the heritage and the need to protect it. 16.3 They will seek, wherever possible, to facilitate access for researchers and scholars to relevant primary documents and archive materials. 17. The participating States note favourably the role of non-governmental associations in promoting awareness of the heritage and the need for its protection. 18. Partnerships among diverse groups at the local, regional and national level, from both the private and the public sector, are valuable for ensuring the effective and representative preservation of the cultural heritage. The preservation and interpretation of the values and the cultural heritage of diverse groups will be enhanced with the involvement of those groups, which is conducive to the tolerance and respect for different cultures which are of paramount importance.