The role of the internet in democratising the curation, interpretation and reconstruction of cultural heritage

What are examples of good practices, especially with regard to prevention and protection against destruction, as well as repatriation and reconstruction measures of cultural heritage, including through human and cultural rights education and awareness?

In response to the call for input by the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, we would like to offer our perspective on the positive role of the internet in making both tangible and intangible cultural heritage accessible to the public, and the role the internet plays in the democratisation of the curation and deliberation of cultural heritage.

We would also like to briefly comment on the potential of the internet to free up resources for the preservation of cultural heritage, and our perspective on the importance of open internet access and open standards such as free and open source software in this regard.