Cultural and digital heritage are important resources for people and communities. They contribute to the development of identity, and are crucial for local memory and ‘sense of place’. Cultural and digital heritage can also play a crucial role in achieving sustainable development, through strengthening social cohesion and well-being, fostering socio-economic regeneration, and enhancing long-term tourism benefits. Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations, none of the 17 SDGs focuses exclusively on cultural heritage. However, culture has a crucial role to play in SDG 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Target 11.4 calls for strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage. In addition, by bringing together diverse individuals and groups for the development of a project, they also foster social cohesion (SDG 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development). Moreover, as a rapidly growing economic sector, cultural tourism has a direct positive impact on SDGs, especially on SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth.

We invite you to join our tradition of bridging disciplinary boundaries to find solutions to current challenges related to sustainability and digital heritage. For the panels, we welcome papers addressing one of the conference themes listed below.

Themes of the Conference:

• Digital Heritage as Collaborative Practice
  Collaboration and partnerships are important for the long-term sustainability of digital heritage. The creation, dissemination, and management of digital heritage often require interdisciplinary, and cross-institutional teamwork, engaging both heritage and university partners. This theme addresses the advantages and challenges of such collaborative practices. In particular, we welcome presentations that examine cross-border collaborations and local, regional and European partnerships in ever-expanding digital infrastructures.
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• Digital Storytelling for Cultural Heritage
  Interactive digital storytelling is becoming a popular choice for information presentation in many fields, including museums and heritage environments. This theme investigates how the different types of heritage information can be narrated and presented through digital formats in an engaging and meaningful way. Contributions that explore practices of digital placemaking, gamification, and transmedia storytelling, as well as the impact of digital media on the public interaction with cultural heritage are encouraged.
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• Governance and Legal Frameworks for Digital Heritage
  Where cultural heritage sites are being digitized, legal and governance questions arise. In particular, this involves questions of copyright protection of the original work, ownership of the generated digital work and access regimes to the digitized cultural content. Legal and governance norms differ between one country and another. Cross-boundary digitalisation projects therefore raise relevant questions as to how ownership and access should be regulated. We welcome contributions that shed light on the legal and governance solutions found for specific examples of digitizing cultural heritage in various jurisdictions.
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• Participatory approaches and Social Inclusion in Digital Heritage
  Cultural heritage is a shared resource and forms part of the cultural identity of communities and individuals. This theme investigates how online and on-site participatory and co-creation approaches can be further developed and applied in the context of digital heritage. In particular, contributions that focus on ways of enhancing social inclusion by involving citizens, residents and heritage visitors in the development of digital heritage are welcomed.

Deadline for Abstract Submission: 1 July 2021
Please send an abstract (max. 350 words) with a short bio (100 words max) to: Eslam Nofal 

Notification of Acceptance: 12 July 2021

Early Registration: 15 September 2021

Event 29 September (on-site): 
Opening Ceremony: The opening ceremony will celebrate the achievements of Terra Mosana, with live demonstrations by Terra Mosana partners.

30 September – 08 October 2021 (online):
Keynotes, workshops, and panel session over four afternoons (from 14:00 to 16:30) based on conference themes:

• Thursday 30 September 2021: Collaboration.
• Friday 01 October 2021: Digital Storytelling.
• Thursday 07 October: Legal Frameworks.
• Friday 08 October 2021: Participation.

Terra Mosana is being executed within the context of Interreg V-A Euregion MeuseRhine, and is financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the Walloon Region, the Provinces of Limburg (NL and B) and the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Download the PDF version :[Call for Papers] Terra Mosana Conference - Sustainable Digital Heritage