World heritage, grassroot management: a community participation experience inventorying six 'milongas' in Buenos Aires

GONZALEZ BRACCO, MERCEDES

Tourism and History World Heritage. Case Studies of Ibero-American Space

CICS.NOVA.UMinho

Lugar: Braga; Año: 2016; p. 468 - 483

This paper reflects on the pilot experience ofcommunity participation in the inventory of six ?milongas? (tango dance venues)in Buenos Aires. Coordinated by the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America in2013, it led to the active participation of the community through 6?milongueros? as representatives of the milonga scene. Led by two UNESCO coordinators,they established which milongas would be treated, what elements to register andthe community implied. Through participant observation of the process andfurther interviews with some of the partakers, this paper aims to inquire aboutthe opportunities and limitations of a participatory experience, and how it canbe improved in order to empower the community involved to make decisionsregarding their heritage.