Participatory Actions and Cultural Heritage Management for Sustainable Development in Rural Cultural Landscapes: the Case of Takht-e Soleyman in Iran

This paper aims to analyze the state of participatory governance and management consistently with the sustainable development principles in a rural cultural landscape, focusing on the case of Iranian Takht-e Soleyman World Heritage Site (WHS). The paper presents the results of an empirical research carried out within a specific Iranian area, the Takht-e Soleyman WHS. It was based on sound theoretical analysis, in depth interviews to key actors and the submission of a questionnaire to local population. This research reveals a gap between the theory and the real participatory governance and management in Takht-e Soleyman WHS. In the governance system the local community has not a real influence in decision making processes. Although the management plan of the site embeds the role of local community participation, the real management practice shows the lack of strategies and mechanisms for implementing those concerns.