/library/oar/handle/123456789/8102 2025-11-10T01:39:51Z 2025-11-10T01:39:51Z Cefai, Shirley /library/oar/handle/123456789/138175 2025-08-19T10:00:23Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Guidelines for accessibility in the historic city of Valletta Authors: Cefai, Shirley Abstract: Immense progress has been witnessed across Europe in recent decades to address the challenges of disability and the inequalities that it creates, through legislation, policy and infrastructure. In Malta too, the sterling work of the National Commission for Persons with Disability (KNPD), and more recently, the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), has transformed this sector, so that today it is unthinkable for a new building not to be universally accessible. Historic city centres, however, still present a wide spectrum of challenges to residents and visitors with different needs. The present guidelines, which explore some of these issues in the context of the World Heritage City of Valletta, are therefore a very welcome contribution. [excerpt from the Foreword by Prof. JoAnn Cassar]

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Cefai, Shirley /library/oar/handle/123456789/138174 2025-08-19T09:46:50Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Management and valorisation of underground heritage from prehistory to the 20th century. The Maltese scenario Authors: Cefai, Shirley Abstract: Protection of the past does not only impact the physical protection of the past fabric but also affects society. If society does not understand the importance of the past and hence the importance of transmitting it to the future, conservation would not happen. As will be seen in this paper, the protection of our past is linked with the knowledge that society has about the past, which then leads to the values that are attributed to monuments. The article will start by explaining the development of the valorisation of cultural Heritage and will then provide a definition of Underground Heritage and how it is managed through case studies.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Cefai, Shirley /library/oar/handle/123456789/137788 2025-07-30T11:00:02Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Venice charter and the development of authenticity Authors: Cefai, Shirley Abstract: Authenticity has been a concern for many centuries. In the 19th century, during the restoration interventions on Notre Dame, it was obvious that authenticity was linked solely to the original material of the monument. It was in the Venice Charter of 1964, that there was an attempt to define authenticity. Since then, the perception and understanding of what is authentic has changed. This shift in meaning is partly due to changes in the sanctioned definitions of chartered documents, which influenced the values society attributed to their heritage. Values counteracted this by becoming wider in scope. Though the Venice Charter mentioned authenticity, it did not specify the attributes heritage should maintain to be considered authentic. This was to change when intangible and tangible heritage were considered as criteria for inscription in World Heritage Sites, particularly with the pivotal contribution from the Japanese experience of intangible heritage when they joined the World Heritage Convention. Once intangible and tangible heritage were considered for inscription in World Heritage Sites, authenticity was pushed to consider other attributes than materiality alone. The understanding of authenticity was developed through discussions regarding World Heritage Sites like Abu Simbel, the Historic Centre of Warsaw and Mostar Bridge, which were enlisted as World Heritage Sites after major interventions or reconstruction works were carried out on them. The article concludes with a discussion regarding how the characteristics of the material used, in particular in a case of reconstruction, could influence the authentic or truthful experience of a historic site.

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/133264 2025-03-18T11:04:25Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Methodologies for cultural heritage mapping in historic landscapes : a case study on Malta’s northwestern coastline Abstract: This research addresses the need for effective mapping methods to identify and document both tangible and intangible cultural heritage and their values. The study is applied to a case study area on Malta's northwestern coastline. The approach involves the identification, description and critical assessment, including SWOT analyses, of six established methods. The most suitable methodfor mapping cultural heritage in Malta is subsequently selected. The results are presented in two phases. Phase 1 introduces the selected methods in a final method statement. A combination of methods is employed, including the LandMap cultural landscape layer, LandMap historical layer, Historic Environmental Record, and Cultural Values Model. This combination provides a characterisation of the entire landscape, focusing on history and cultural landscape, with precise mapped data of cultural values and associations held by the general public and historical heritage. The second phase presents the methodology and results of the selected methods. Data is acquired through fieldwork, archival and literature research, and public participation to implement the four layers in the case study area. The GIS Project maps are then presented. The implementation has demonstrated that the combination of LandMap, HER, and CVM offers a holistic approach to mapping cultural heritage and their values in Malta's northwestern coastline. The use of GIS enable layering and working with the layers to gain further insights into the cultural significance and relationships. Some limitations of the layers have been exposed, leading to recommendations for future research, such as enhancing the HER data, addressing challenges with CVM density, and promoting public participation for a more inclusive mapping process. Description: M.A.(Melit.)

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z