We are inviting people across Scotland to take part in a national conversation about heritage, encouraging them to share their perspectives and help shape how it is recognised and looked after in the future.
Scotland’s historic environment belongs to us all - from stone circles and high streets to tenements and schools. It may also be your local park, the venue where you saw the best gig you've ever been to, or the place you picture when you think of home. Heritage makes our communities special and it’s everything we inherit from the past that shapes who we are today as well as influencing our future.
"I’d love to hear about the places that matter most to you," said Elly McCrone, Director of Heritage.
We’d like to understand what you’d like to see protected and how you’d like those places to be looked after so that we can ensure that our heritage continues to enrich our lives for generations to come."
The initiative was launched at Govan in Glasgow, a place rich in history, and one that shows the art of the possible, with communities coming together to celebrate and share heritage from medieval relics to shipbuilding heritage to venues and parks.
With in-person events planned around Scotland, participants will have the chance to share the places they value, and their views on how they should be recognised and looked after in the future.
The public are also being invited to take part in a national survey, open until 7 December, to share what heritage means to them. This is the main way to get involved and help shape the future of Scotland’s historic environment.
People can also join the conversation by attending online events exploring some of the most important factors affecting heritage or by testing their general knowledge in the online quizzes. A Youth Heritage Challenge will be launched later this year and will specifically focus on allowing the voices of young people to be heard through creative expression and collaboration.
Why take part?
- Have your say: Help us to understand the things that matter to you and your community
- Celebrate your area: Share and spotlight the heritage that makes your area special
- Shape the future: Influence national policy, including the Historic Environment Policy for Scotland
The consultation is open to everyone – young people, older people, business owners, volunteers, parents, New Scots, those who love heritage, and those with no strong feelings about heritage but who care about their surroundings. If you want to talk to us about heritage, we want to hear from you.
To fill in the survey or to register your interest to take part in both the online and in-person events, visit our Talking about Heritage webpage. Event details will be shared over the coming weeks.
About Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
- We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.
- Historic Scotland, trove.scot, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle and Stòr are sub-brands of HES.
- View our press pack and keep up to date by registering to receive our media releases. Already registered? You can unsubscribe at any time by following the unsubscribe link, included in every email.
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For further information, please contact:
Iona Matheson
Historic Environment Scotland Media Office
07881 512 379
communications@hes.scot