Kulturë

Kulturë is the set of shared beliefs, practices, artifacts, and institutions that characterize a group. The term denotes both tangible things such as buildings, objects, and cuisine, and intangible aspects such as language, rituals, norms, values, and ways of knowing. It emerges through socialization, education, and transmission across generations and adapts to changing social and technological conditions.

Kulturë encompasses arts and letters (literature, music, theatre, visual arts, film), heritage and preservation, media and digital culture, cuisine, dress, and everyday customs. It includes both material culture (tools, artifacts, architecture) and non-material culture (beliefs, practices, and social norms). Cultural expression is shaped by institutions, education systems, media, and creative industries, and it evolves in response to globalization and technological change.

Cultural heritage comprises monuments, traditions, languages, and knowledge that communities safeguard for future generations. UNESCO and national authorities promote protection, education, and broad access to cultural life, balancing preservation with contemporary creativity and participation.

In Albanian contexts, kulturë refers to national and local culture, including traditional music, dance, rituals, historic sites, language policy, and cultural institutions such as theatres, museums, libraries, and media. Cultural policy in Albanian-speaking areas aims to support creativity, safeguard heritage, and foster intercultural dialogue while addressing challenges posed by globalization, urbanization, and digital media.