Connecting heritage, vulnerabilities and capacities through a participatory game

Cultural heritage is not only seen as a sector that needs protecting in times of a disaster but also as a source of strengths for the communities and individuals. There is however very little understanding on the actual contributions of cultural heritage towards capacity development; little is also known about cultural heritage as a potential source of vulnerability. Based on a case study of the Racha region in Georgia, this paper explores the potential role of heritage through the lens of vulnerabilities and capacities as understood by the local people, and presents the views of the local population on their cultural heritage. It demonstrates that tangible and intangible dimensions are intertwined and highlights that cultural heritage cannot be seen in an exclusive manner devoid of its larger environmental, political, social and economic contexts if we are to understand the relationship between cultural heritage, capacities and vulnerabilities.