Abstract: This article focuses on the idea that archaeology aids the revaluation of cultural properties within historical centers. At the same time, it holds that the application of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of 1972 should imply the development of best management practices at inscribed sites. The handling of archaeological heritage in three Latin American cities is presented and discussed in this study, through the theoretical assumptions of preventive archaeology for the management of archaeological properties. It examines the different social contexts of World Heritage in these areas and concludes that the traditional vision of World Heritage impedes other historical readings of the past in these places. This conclusion is reached through a proactive vision defending the use of these UNESCO World Heritage Sites to improve management models with high public participation, the use of which should also be considered in the European community. There is, finally, a reminder of the desired objective: the improvement of archaeological management and, consequently, of urban historical discourses, whose outcomes enrich the lives of citizens.
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