Researching shipwrecks can contribute to an understanding of past ways of life. In more recent times, maritime archaeology or maritime and underwater cultural heritage (MUCH) management has used a number of approaches and disciplines in researching and managing a broader range of related tangible and intangible heritage. A MUCH program, as with other heritage programs can help in realising the cultural identity of communities. Perhaps less appreciated but also of importance is that sites may have different values for different communities, i.e. they have multi vocal values.

Within this context, and pursuant to an international agreement on best practices, the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001 this paper will outline how a number of projects and capacity building programs are being implemented. It will provide evidence of the positive outcomes of the centre for International Heritage Activities' (CIE) capacity building programs and the benefits in implementing a MUCH program in Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tanzania, Hong Kong and Micronesia. The paper will also provide examples of other types of MUCH projects and the contemporary community benefits that maritime archaeologists can provide through their work. Evidence of the multi-vocal values of some sites and the implications of these values will also be discussed.

MUCH programs such as those described have also a number of challenges and the developing countries in South-east Asia, Oceania and sub-Saharan Africa face many challenges in implementing effective MUCH programs. An initiative that is hoped will assist countries in sub-Saharan Africa is the formation of a group of 10 countries that will work together in pursuing strategies and activities in managing its maritime and underwater cultural heritage. This and other examples of coalitions from the developing world working on safeguarding their heritage for the benefits of future generations will be summarised in this paper.

The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001 hereafter called the Convention came into force on 2 January 2009 after 20 countries ratified it. As at 8 June 2011, 32 countries have done this, with Cambodia so far being the only South-East Asian country (ratified 24 November 2007). It is considered to be the peak universal agreement on how to protect and manage underwater cultural heritage sites, given it uses as its practical base the ICOMOS Charter on the Protection an Management of Underwater Cultural Heritage 1996 developed by many eminent maritime archaeologists. It was the discovery and exploitation of the Titanic shipwreck located in international waters and commercial shipwreck operations such as the work on the Geldermahlsen that triggered the need for United Nations guidelines on the best practices of protecting and managing underwater cultural heritage sites in all waters, not just international waters (O'Keefe 2002: 7-13).

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