Cracow 1991
25. With a view to a better understanding of the cultural values of the countries whose
languages are less widely spoken, the participating States welcome the dissemination of
knowledge about and of such languages, in particular through the translation and publication of literary works from these countries. The organization of international training courses for media and cultural personnel involved in promoting the understanding
of less-spoken languages and less widely-known cultures should also be considered.
26. Acknowledging the important contribution of religious faiths, institutions and
organizations to the cultural heritage, the participating States will co-operate closely
with them regarding the preservation of the cultural heritage and pay due attention to
monuments and objects of religious origin whose original communities no longer use
them or no longer exist in the particular region.
27. Bearing in mind the important role that regional aspects of culture may play in linking people across national borders, the participating States will favour regional co-operation at the level of local and national authorities as well as non-governmental organizations with a view to fostering good-neighbourly relations.
28. The participating States will accord due attention to strengthening the heritage
of popular culture of the past, including indigenous and vernacular cultures, and to
encouraging a contemporary popular culture within the framework of their overall
efforts for the preservation, study, protection and promotion of mutual awareness of
their cultural heritage. The participating States note the importance of research into
various forms of expression of past and present cultures - symbolic practices, technical
objects and knowledge, folk art, languages – and the importance of doing what is necessary to highlight them.
29. The participating States will also pay attention to more recent contributions to the
cultural heritage (art, including architectural works, of the 20th century).
30. The participating States will co-operate in preventing the illegal circulation of cultural objects, for example by considering adhering to the relevant international instruments.
31. The participating States will strive to preserve and protect those monuments and
sites of remembrance, including most notably extermination camps, and the related
archives, which are themselves testimonials to tragic experiences in their common
past. Such steps need to be taken in order that those experiences may be remembered,
may help to teach present and future generations of these events, and thus ensure that
they are never repeated.
32. The interpretation of sensitive sites of remembrance can serve as a valuable means
of promoting tolerance and understanding among people and will take into account
social and cultural diversity.
33. The participating States recognize that, in defining priorities for preservation, it is
important to take into account both the intrinsic value of the cultural heritage, its relOSCE Human Dimension Commitments 97
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