TEHIC-Handbook_of_best_practices

2. An overview of the concept of heritage interpretation and its evolution. 17 Heritage interpretation as a management tool I n addition to this approach to heritage interpretation as an effective communication tool, it is undoubtedly also relevant as a management tool in places of heritage interest. To this end, it is important to highlight some issues about the approach to be developed that make heritage interpretation particularly valid for this purpose: • The aim is for visitors to become allies in the preservation of the legacy, without di - minishing their enjoyment of the experience. • The community must be involved, both in the development of contents and in the more emotional part, linked to the meanings of the legacy. • It is also important that, in approaching these projects, the local population is involved in direct or indirect decision-making related to the management and dissemination of heritage resources, not only by implementing interpretative projects for the commu - nity, as these can also arise from or within the community itself and can be supported from technical aspects of the discipline by heritage interpretation professionals. • Heritage interpretation can help, together with other tools, to make visible and give some social legitimacy to other silenced narratives and voices present in social conflicts throughout history. • A well-planned and executed heritage interpretation, with a vision that inte- grates different perspectives and with a medium and long-term vision, can col- laborate, in a differentiating way, with the socio-economic development of the terri- tories and their communities. Example of training in the methodology and techniques in heritage interpretation for shellfish gatherers of the Con - fraría de Pescadores (Fisherwomen’s Guild) de San Telmo (Pontevedra, Spain), within the framework of a programme for guided tours created by shellfish gatherers them - selves, in the aim of dignifying and raisingawareness of their profession. Picture by Isabel Fernández.