By analysing a concrete example this paper strives to show how cultural heritage preservation and development campaigns can help bring into play local development policies mainly aimed at enhancing the town's image as well as improving social cohesion through better integration of its diverse social components. If the town's inhabitants do indeed come from socially and culturally diverse backgrounds, and thereby participating in the creation of new urban identities, one may wonder to what extent do measures aimed at enhancing cultural heritage through local initiatives improve social cohesion? Can a collective appropriation of urban heritage be achieved in a culturally diverse context?
Territory; heritage; local development