IASA 2018 Annual Conference

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines heritage as "our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations." UNESCO, also, views cultural and natural heritage as both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Access and control over heritage resources play very important roles in shaping social and power relations at the community, national, and international levels. Consequently, it can be said that access to heritage assets and resources, including oral traditions, archaeological sites, historical landscapes, nature, and wildlife, is both a matter of human rights and social justice. To this end, we deem it important that people of all ages, genders, and economic status are given fair and equitable access to the heritage resources of Ghana. This is particularly true of areas where access to specific heritage assets and resources tended to influence peoples access to ancestral lands, political power, and religious rites. In this panel we will discuss ongoing attempts at using digital media and technology to record, analyze, archive, and disseminate audiovisual culture and natural heritage, using photography, GIS, and UAVs for the facilitation of easy access to cultural and biodiversity heritage assets in Ghana.