ABSTRACT
The question of what cultural heritage is, who owns it and the meaning of preservation opens a broad discussion. Cultural heritage in many ways is inherently international, created by many cultures from various places around the globe, and cared for by many. The term cultural property/heritage has many meanings, depending on the professional discipline that makes use of them. It can refer to art, style, ways of living, tradition and customs, institutional and market value. In this context, ownership of cultural property comes to the forefront; it is ambiguous and not unidimensional. In general, individuals or institutions can claim the ownership of cultural property, as well as social and ethnic groups. Ownership has direct impact on establishing a preservation course, and access to or use of cultural heritage.
