ICOMOS Brazil

The document sees urban historical sites are dynamic, socially created entities that are "part of a wider totality, comprising the natural and the built environment and the everyday living experience of their dwellers." Preservation of historic centers should therefore be central to urban planning. The document discourages the imposition of severe use restrictions; rather, traditional residence and work should continue in the historic built environment. It encourages the development of inventories, community participation, and various legal mechanisms to protect historic centers. Finally the document stresses that the social value of historic centers must take precedence over economic value.