ABSTRACT
Balancing the past with the needs and concerns of contemporary society is essential to maintaining relevance to contemporary societies. This balance requires applying legal, ethical, management, and scientific perspectives in a manner that is accountable and sustainable and includes the ethical responsibility to interact, consult, and work with stakeholders to advocate for the quality of life for future generations. In defining values relating to the past, it is critical that we find ways to achieve greater inclusiveness in the decision-making process. The lack of accountability has been a major problem for the heritage community. To apply the latest knowledge from archaeology, history, anthropology, and legal studies to emerging global situations that call for new adaptive strategies for broad definition and fair application of cultural heritage, a workshop was convened at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto in October 2016.
