In December 2018, researcher Veronica Ramos launched #heritagepertutti (Heritage for All), a social media initiative designed to democratize access to cultural heritage and historical research. The campaign emerged from Ramos’s observation that historical research often remained confined to academic circles, with only major archaeological discoveries reaching the general public, while smaller-scale heritage and cultural findings went unshared.
The Problem with Inaccessible Research
Ramos recounted being asked by someone about the practical value of historical research. While attempting to explain her work, she realized that researchers typically communicated discoveries only among themselves, leaving the broader public disconnected from the field. She noted that only large-scale archaeological discoveries consistently captured public attention because they sparked immediate emotional responses without requiring interpretation or explanation.
How #heritagepertutti Works
The initiative operates on several principles. First, it aims to define heritage itself through images, phrases, and articles, exploring what the term means in relation to culture, patrimony, and traditions. Second, it publishes images intended to convey meaning silently, allowing viewers to interpret heritage without expert guidance and to develop their own emotional responses. Third, the hashtag invites public participation: anyone visiting a heritage site or encountering something connected to cultural heritage can photograph it and share the image using #heritagepertutti. Ramos commits to viewing, commenting on, and resharing the most significant user submissions across her own channels. The initiative ultimately seeks to foster discussion and collective discovery across social media platforms, transforming heritage engagement from a specialized activity into a shared, accessible experience for all.
Frequently asked questions
What prompted the creation of #heritagepertutti?
Ramos created the hashtag after realizing that historical research remained confined to academic circles and was inaccessible to the general public, with only major archaeological discoveries receiving public attention.
How can people participate in the campaign?
Anyone can photograph heritage sites or cultural discoveries they encounter and share the images using #heritagepertutti on social media, with Ramos viewing and potentially resharing significant contributions.
What is the goal of sharing heritage images without expert interpretation?
Ramos believes that heritage should sometimes speak for itself, allowing people to interpret and emotionally respond to cultural sites independently rather than always relying on expert explanation.