DIGICHer Digitisation of the cultural heritage of minority communities for equity and renewed engagement

Digitization of cultural heritage (tangible and intangible cultural assets) offers great opportunities for preservation, maintenance and promotion. However, it also poses challenges in terms of content representation and enjoyment that are particularly evident in the context of minority (social group) cultural heritages. In general, the underrepresentation of minorities in digitization processes limits their participation and inclusion, hindering a fair representation of the diverse values and cultures present in society. This can lead to the misuse of minorities' digital cultural heritage, with possible discrimination and historical bias.

The DIGICHer project aims to address these challenges by providing a new understanding of the factors influencing the digitization of minority cultural heritage, including legal and political, socio-economic and technological factors.  The initiative uses an innovative approach based on the citizen science and on co-creation, with direct involvement of minorities in the development of a framework of methods for digitizing their cultural heritage, promoting equitable, diverse, and inclusive practices that are scalable and verified with approaches user-centred. The validity of this approach will be tested through three pilot cultural heritage digitization projects conducted in the field, in collaboration with three different minority communities in the EU: the Sami community, the Jewish communities, and the Ladino community, with the possibility of involvement of other minority groups. The results of these projects will then be used to develop recommendations for policy makers, cultural institutions and other stakeholders involved in digital cultural heritage management. The interdisciplinary consortium leading the DIGICHer project aims to:

• Increase the involvement of minorities in the digitization of their cultural heritage, contributing to a more responsive and democratic cultural sector whose digital activities can reflect the plurality of minority worldviews in Europe;
• Promote fair, diverse and inclusive practices in digital asset management;
• Ensure better public understanding and engagement with minority cultural heritage;
• Strengthen the resilience of European cultural institutions and their ability to attract wider and more diverse audiences, both general and specialized.

The DIGICHer project is an important step toward building a more inclusive future for Europe's cultural heritage, in which the diverse cultures and identities of minorities are properly represented and valued.

The project is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe program.