Heritage Declaration without Spotlights: The Natal/RN/BR Historical Center Case

At the end of 2012, an area that contemplates the Natal neighbourhoods “Cidade alta” and “Ribeira” was declared a Cultural Heritage Site by the Instituto de Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN). However, the public and private efforts regarding the region were not enough to strengthen the citizens of Natal’s sense of belonging and identity, or to transform the place into a tourist and cultural attraction for both foreigners and Brazilians. The declaration of this site as the official Historical Centre in the “sun and sea city” (slogan of Natal) has not generated any effective gentrification process of its urban cultural heritage. Escaping global tendencies, I intent to discuss whether this case is an example of 1) a failure or a lack of impetus of the government’s actions or 2) an opportunity to explore the preservationist politics in social, communitarian, and local manners.