TEHIC-Handbook_of_best_practices

2. An overview of the concept of heritage interpretation and its evolution. 23 In relation to this, SEMIP 7 has created a visitor's decalogue, which summarises, in a clear and accurate way, the application of a large part of what has been seen so far in this chapter, from the point of view of heritage places visitors rights. Many professionals in the discipline have been arguing that heritage interpretation is much more than a tool for communication and legacy management. Heritage interpreta - tion is a powerful tool that, applied from ethics and knowledge, together with other tools such as group facilitation or art, can promote a real eco-social transformation. At the XXI Conference of the (Spanish) Association for Heritage Interpretation, in which the princi- ples and fundamental issues of interpretation were reviewed in working groups, the following conclusions were reached ( XXI AIP Conference, 2022, 26 ): “Interpretation is also a tool for social transformation, promoting critical thought among citizens who are committed to the community and its values.” The following image reflects, expanding on this idea, some of the issues that support it, always from the potential of applying the discipline on the basis of the criteria of good practice, each of which is described in more detail below. · Inclusion: heritage interpretation is aimed at a diversity of audiences, with diverse cultural levels, abilities, and interests, structured in different degrees of deepening of the message. In this regard, heritage interpretation shares many of the criteria for accessibility and the production of easy-to-read texts. It can also encourage the in - corporation of different voices, perspectives, and knowledge, seeking to work from an intersectional vision. Heritage interpretation can help in the elimination of prejudices, myths, and false beliefs, both socio-economic and environmental. Key aspects of heritage interpretation as a tool for eco-social transformation. Source: Isabel Fernández.