Cultural Heritage as a Contributor to Territorial/Urban Resilience

In today’s complex and uncertain world, urban and territorial resilience is vital. From natural and human-made disasters to climate change and globalization, cities and regions face challenges that demand preparedness, adaptability, and transformability, i.e., the capacity to absorb shocks. As social–ecological and complex adaptive systems, they must strengthen their ability to respond and transform. Cultural heritage is increasingly recognized as a territorial asset that enhances resilience by providing identity, tangible resources, and historical knowledge useful for risk prevention and management. In the 21st century, heritage—whether underwater, rural, or embedded in urban space —is seen not as a remnant of the past but as a living system and a source of identity, creativity, economic innovation, cohesion, and environmental sustainability. This Reprint responds to the need to rethink the role of heritage in building resilience by assembling twelve articles that examine its activation across diverse geographic contexts (marine, urban, rural, etc.). The contributions converge on a pivotal argument: heritage must shift from a preservation-focused paradigm to one of active contribution, becoming a strategic asset within place-based development and a driver of new economic activities and innovation. The papers span the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe and address varied forms of heritage, including maritime and underwater cultural heritage, architectural ensembles, vernacular landscapes, traditional practices, and cultural–creative industries.