Day 4
Detailed paper information
| Paper title | Space4Culture – The importance of stimulating a multi-stakeholder dialogue to enhance the use of satellite applications to monitor, safeguard and value cultural and natural heritage: feedback from the Eurisy experience |
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| Form of presentation | Poster |
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| Abstract text |
The effects of climate change, rising urbanisation, tourism and conflicting land uses, among others, threaten both cultural and natural heritage around the world. Given the value of cultural and natural heritage, all available technologies and tolls should be put in place to ensure their valorisation and safeguard. Recognising this necessity, the European Commission together with the Council and the European Parliament, agreed on establishing a European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018 (EYCH2018) which drew attention to the opportunities offered by the European cultural heritage as well as the challenges it faces. This fostered discussions on the opportunity to create a dedicated Copernicus service for cultural heritage and also fostered discussions on how new technologies and digital services can support the renaissance of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) in Europe. In 2018 Eurisy launched the “Space4Culture” initiative, aimed at fostering the use of satellite technologies to monitor, preserve and enhance cultural heritage. The Space4Culture initiative intends to give an overview of the different perspective and interests which shape the field of space applications in the cultural and creative domains. Eurisy comes in to find new user communities and acts as a facilitator and a matchmaker, with the conviction that it is not enough to bring space to people or to new user communities: it is about acting as a “space integrator” or a “space broker”. In 2018, on the occasion of EYCH2018, Eurisy implemented a two-days conference on this topic, showcasing how operational satellite services support the management of historical cities, provide crucial information to safeguard heritage and enhance the creation of innovative cultural and artistic experiences. The success stories collected by Eurisy show the distinctive added-value of satellite applications to identify and study cultural heritage sites, to monitor natural heritage sites, and to assess and prevent potential damage, be it man-made or a consequence of climate change and geo-hazards. Satellites can represent a game-changer for cultural heritage management. Therefore, it is fundamental to make satellite data more easily available to public administrations and to raise awareness on the profitability of investments in the aerospace field to also benefit sectors which one might not think of. However, it is also crucial to make sure that the research conducted by universities and space agencies effectively reach public administrations in charge of managing heritage. At the same time, such administrations shall be duly involved in the development of new satellite-based services targeting natural and cultural heritage, and their operational needs and procedures should be taken into account. In addition, there is the need for a holistic approach on the management of cultural and natural heritage that brings together entrepreneurs, researchers, space agencies and European institutions, and the political authorities responsible for managing heritage at the local level. Eurisy is eager to stimulate such dialogue and to showcase its innovative approach in fostering the development and use of satellite-based applications to better manage and safeguard heritage. To do this, the association makes available articles, case-studies and videos showcasing testimonials from cultural and natural heritage managers at the local and regional levels. |