The Importance of Cultural Preservation To Millennials and Youth

Deep Connection To Ancestors

While for most people genealogy is nothing more than a hobby, for some it’s an obsession. For these people, understanding the history of their family and community is a way to establish a spiritual and emotional connection to their ancestors.

In some cultures, family lineage and ancestors are an important part of life, whether people have a spiritual connection to the ancestors who watch over them, or they strive to bring honor to their ancestor's name in gratitude for the sacrifices that person made for future generations.

The ancestral connection is important to millennials and youth for other reasons, including:

• Finding truth in family stories
• Discovering whether they’re related to famous people
• Uncovering medical conditions
• Tracking down land ownership and inheritance
• Discovering ancestors with similar looks
• Finding family connections

Better Understanding Of History

Many people feel it’s important to know where their family and ancestors came from. Not only does this knowledge give them a sense of pride, it also offers a connection to something bigger than themselves—a culture, a place, a historical legacy. No matter who you are or where you live, history has had a significant impact on the world around you, and on your own life.

That’s why millennials are interested in learning the history behind their family trees. From the way their grandparents met to the struggles their ancestors had to overcome—these stories help millennials and youth gain perspective. They can better understand the world around them—and their place in it—by understanding the events that shaped their families and communities.

Greater Empathy & Understanding

As cultural stories are shared more frequently online, stories that were once told only at family gatherings are now reaching millions. Our ability to share cultural history across oceans and borders has never been greater, thanks to ancestry sites, Facebook groups, Codex galleries and even Twitter.

At Codex, we believe that cultures have a lot to learn from one another. We believe that cultural preservation gives the next generation a deeper understanding of how other people view the world, build relationships and go about their lives on a daily basis. This cross-cultural understanding fosters a stronger sense of empathy and mutual respect.

Cross-Cultural Cooperation

Millennials and young people are becoming increasingly engaged in cultural affairs. Our post about why Cultural Preservation is so important talks about various grassroots efforts started by youth such as the #Canada150 backlash and Gwich'in Language Facebook Group. Young people from around the world are stirring up tough conversations in boardrooms, at town hall meetings and around the dinner table. Their empathy for other cultures is driving change and inspiring people from different backgrounds to work together toward a brighter future.

Empathy and understanding have the potential to change the world as we know it.

No matter your background.

No matter your history.

No matter your culture.

We believe that the stories of our past and the realities of today need to be shared. We believe it should be easy to tell those stories, and to make them compelling for audiences near and far.

If you’re interested in sharing your cultural history, sign up for Codex today. We’d love for you to use our platform to share your story and connect with people around the world.