Cultural Heritage and Resilience in International Law

This study examines how cultural heritage contributes to community resilience in the face of conflict, environmental change, and cultural suppression. Cultural heritage, both material and immaterial, is presented not just as memory, but as a living resource that supports identity and social cohesion. The analysis draws on several branches of international law, showing how global conventions protect and reinforce this role. These include frameworks on world heritage, cultural diversity, intangible heritage, Indigenous cultural rights, and underwater heritage. Overall, the article concludes that international law is increasingly recognizing cultural heritage not merely as something to preserve, but as a foundation of collective resilience and adaptive capacity.