Preserving Culture, Heritage and Traditions in the 20th Century
The 20th century has differentiated itself as a technological era. Where digital information propels further into the center of our society, more often than not we neglect our traditions. Publishing relevant cultural articles are important now more than ever as it gives us a clearer image as to our nation and world’s history. The value of literature and art amidst a technologically savvy age can put things in perspective and harmonize the two worlds. In response to this, the Ateneo De Manila University has created two journals namely Budhi and Kritika Kultura which can be considered platforms that encourage the preservation of cultural heritage.
Budhi is a world-renowned journal that treasures works dedicated to the subject of philosophy and all the other fields that intertwine with it like art, technology, social issues, religion, and history. Serving as a space for discourse on traditions from all around the Philippine archipelago, Budhi breaks and overcomes geographical borders by challenging us to think outside of our realm of knowledge with new and unique perspectives on humanities. On the other hand, Kritika Kultura is a collection of scholarly articles both local and international. Common themes in these journals revolve around contemporary issues on language, art, tradition, and society. Kritika Kultura’s main objective is to push the boundaries of traditional thinking by providing works that encompass conventional viewpoints. This contributes to a better understanding of the interconnectivity between Asian and Western countries.
Preserving cultural heritage through knowledge, ideas, language, history, and literature is essential. As citizens of the 21st generation, we have an obligation to protect the culture and heritage by keeping it relevant long after they were made. The two journals established by Ateneo de Manila University were developed as safeguarding measures to ensure that these important discourses can be passed on from one generation to another; keeping the legacy of our nation’s past alive.