Academics, financiers, and sustainability strategists from across the United States and abroad later this year will meet in San Antonio to discuss ways to preserve and promote the area's culturally important places and practices, WOAI News reports.
The city's three-day "Second Annual Living Heritage Symposium" is set for September 5-7 at the Bexar County Courthouse and will focus on how to promote "culturally significant properties," such as family-owned businesses that safeguard production or craftsmanship methods associated with San Antonio's ethnic fabric.
Shannon Miller with the city's Office of Historic Preservation says this year's gathering will feature a culinary theme and tour that will expose participants to the city's foods and chefs.
Miller says living heritage describes local traditions that have survived the decades or, in come case, centuries, such as "building trades, or cooking techniques, or games that kids play, or things like that.
"It's parts of our culture that also deserve preservation," Miller says.
She says so-called "heritage businesses" are an important part of the living heritage concept.
Heritage business criteria are defined by the United Nations.
"You have to have been in the same family for a number of years, been in operation for at least 20 or more, maybe located in an historic landmark; there are a number of ways to qualify," says Miller.
Miller says San Antonio currently is considering adopting elements of San Francisco's "legacy business" living heritage model, tailored to save usually small commercial operators that are closely identified with a neighborhood or community and threatened with displacement or closure by larger or chain competitors.