PROTECH 2024

European cities and regions have the task of preserving, protecting and making accessible the rich European cultural heritage. Managing heritage involves huge managerial and budgetary challenges for the public authorities, site owners and the society at large, who need to safeguard their precious inheritance for future generations, and to put it also for social innovation, cultural development and sustainable tourism.
Preventive conservation anticipates damage to cultural heritage before it occurs and allows managing heritage effectively, according to latest technical and scientific standards, and efficiently in view tightening public budgets.
Many models have been developed by the partners and beyond that are applicable in other administrations and geographies, after being adjusted to the case-specific needs. The use of new technologies, data management or Artificial Intelligence can contribute to prevent damages to the heritage while decreasing costs related to its protection.
The overall objective is to exchange experience and good practices in the field of social and technological innovation among partners to improve the adoption and use of heritage management policies, to revise existing instruments as well as to identify new projects and services. The partnership is formed by a group of public organisations from all corners of the EU geography, with competences and complementary experiences in managing both, tangible and intangible heritage.
The specific objectives are to leverage advancements in terms of Social Innovation (community engagement, collaborative platforms, etc.), New Technologies (3D Scanning and printing, VR/AR, use of drones and satellite imaging to monitor an document heritage sites, etc.), Data Management (incl. holistic monitoring system, data-driven decision making) and A.I. (for predictive analysis, automated documentation and restoration and conservation) so that heritage management can become more efficient, inclusive and resilient.