MMMedins: Multimedia Laboratories for Intangible Cultural Heritage Jesse Marsh, Atelier Studio Associato Roberto Albergoni, Herimed Association Natale Giordano, COPPEM Francesco Passantino, iTeam5.net

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) “ Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) – or living heritage – is the mainspring of our cultural diversity and its maintenance a guarantee for continuing creativity . “ Many elements of the ICH are endangered , due to effects of globalization, uniformization policies, and lack of means , appreciation and understanding which – taken together – may lead to the erosion of functions and values of such elements and to lack of interest among the younger generations.” UNESCO Convention on ICH, 2003

“ Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) – or living heritage – is the mainspring of our cultural diversity and its maintenance a guarantee for continuing creativity .

“ Many elements of the ICH are endangered , due to effects of globalization, uniformization policies, and lack of means , appreciation and understanding which – taken together – may lead to the erosion of functions and values of such elements and to lack of interest among the younger generations.”

UNESCO Convention on ICH, 2003

The MEDINS Project “ Identity is Future, the Mediterranean Intangible Space” INTERREG III B MEDOCC Programme € 1.398.450 Budget, 29 months: 04/2006 – 09/2008 11 Partners in 5 Member States, 8 Partners from 5 MEDA Countries Objectives: Catalogue ICH with a common approach eg Sicilian REI Promote through local and international seminars, publications and web site Valorize ICH through pilot projects, multimedia and a final event Construct a network of MEDINS regions

“ Identity is Future, the Mediterranean Intangible Space”

INTERREG III B MEDOCC Programme

€ 1.398.450 Budget, 29 months: 04/2006 – 09/2008

11 Partners in 5 Member States, 8 Partners from 5 MEDA Countries

Objectives:

Catalogue ICH with a common approach eg Sicilian REI

Promote through local and international seminars, publications and web site

Valorize ICH through pilot projects, multimedia and a final event

Construct a network of MEDINS regions

Cataloguing Systems Handicraft Social Institutions Living Human Treasures Traditional craftsmanship Traditional Medicine Gastronomy Expressions Knowledge and practices re nature and the universe Popular Games & Sports Ritual Places Rituals and festive events Festivities Scenic Expression Knowledge Social Practices Music and Sound Oral Tradition Celebrations Performing Arts Murcia Region Sicilian REI “Books” UNESCO Domains

Multimedia Laboratories Cultural and artistic expression Documentation and recording of the immaterial Contamination between fragments of different cultures Production of new immaterial culture Technological experimentation New media to represent culture New systems for cataloguing-searching New tools for editing and distribution Validation of the REI system Operational experimentation of the catalogue Interaction with the “Semantic Framework” activity

Cultural and artistic expression

Documentation and recording of the immaterial

Contamination between fragments of different cultures

Production of new immaterial culture

Technological experimentation

New media to represent culture

New systems for cataloguing-searching

New tools for editing and distribution

Validation of the REI system

Operational experimentation of the catalogue

Interaction with the “Semantic Framework” activity

Laboratory Network

Experimentation of Web 2.0 tools

Experimentation of Web 2.0 tools

Multimedia Jam - 19-21.05.2008

Virtual Museum Concept “ The ICH is traditional and living at the same time. The depository of this heritage is the human mind , the human body being the main instrument for its enactment, or – literally – embodiment. The knowledge and skills are often shared within a community , and manifestations of ICH often are performed collectively .” UNESCO Make ICH-related resources of different cultures available to educational systems in the Med space and globally Provide resources supporting a broad range of local development strategies that valorise Mediterranean cultures while respecting the survival of communities Generate a framework for the sustainability of the common tools and resources after project completion, within the context of the HERIMED network

“ The ICH is traditional and living at the same time. The depository of this heritage is the human mind , the human body being the main instrument for its enactment, or – literally – embodiment. The knowledge and skills are often shared within a community , and manifestations of ICH often are performed collectively .” UNESCO

Make ICH-related resources of different cultures available to educational systems in the Med space and globally

Provide resources supporting a broad range of local development strategies that valorise Mediterranean cultures while respecting the survival of communities

Generate a framework for the sustainability of the common tools and resources after project completion, within the context of the HERIMED network

Common Format

Semantic Framework

Distributed Multimedia Content

XML Interoperability <title> Sfincia di San Giuseppe </title> <lat> 38.09235 </lat> <lng> 13.50571 </lng> <language> English </language> <description> <p> The Sfincia di San Giuseppe, or sfincia (from the Latin spongia, … and topped with orange peels and crushed pistachios. </p> </description> <tag> sfincia, san giuseppe, father's day, sugar, ricotta </tag> <localisation> Bagheria, Palermo, Sicily, Italy </localisation> <definition> Ricotta-filled pastry </definition> <local_definition> Sfincia di San Giuseppe </local_definition> <qualification> Linked to religious event </qualification> <occasion_type> Religious occasion </occasion_type> <occasion_name> Feast of San Giuseppe </occasion_name> <periodicity> yearly </periodicity> <per_start> March 19 </per_start> <per_end> March 19 </per_end>

<title> Sfincia di San Giuseppe </title>

<lat> 38.09235 </lat>

<lng> 13.50571 </lng>

<language> English </language>

<description>

<p> The Sfincia di San Giuseppe, or sfincia (from the Latin spongia,

…

and topped with orange peels and crushed pistachios. </p>

</description>

<tag> sfincia, san giuseppe, father's day, sugar, ricotta </tag>

<localisation> Bagheria, Palermo, Sicily, Italy </localisation>

<definition> Ricotta-filled pastry </definition>

<local_definition> Sfincia di San Giuseppe </local_definition>

<qualification> Linked to religious event </qualification>

<occasion_type> Religious occasion </occasion_type>

<occasion_name> Feast of San Giuseppe </occasion_name>

<periodicity> yearly </periodicity>

<per_start> March 19 </per_start>

<per_end> March 19 </per_end>

Trans-Med Prototype

Multimedia Night at Palazzo Cutò

Dialogue Night

Policy Toolset HERIMED TRANSFORMER DIALOGUE NIGHT SICILIAN REI INTEGRATED ICH POLICY POLITICAL SCIENTIFIC SOCIAL UNESCO CONVENTION REGIONAL CATALOGUES PALAZZO CUTO’ COMMUNITY WALK

Conclusions ICT can play an important role in the promotion and preservation of ICH Public institutions responsible for ICH need to open up to the new role of Web 2.0 technologies Since ICH is defined by local communities, participatory strategies are necessary for any “virtual museum” approach Policies for the UNESCO Convention require multiple tools covering ICH’s political, scientific and social dimensions ICH needs to be put on the agenda for future ICT research areas such as semantic web, augmented reality, storytelling, etc.

ICT can play an important role in the promotion and preservation of ICH

Public institutions responsible for ICH need to open up to the new role of Web 2.0 technologies

Since ICH is defined by local communities, participatory strategies are necessary for any “virtual museum” approach

Policies for the UNESCO Convention require multiple tools covering ICH’s political, scientific and social dimensions

ICH needs to be put on the agenda for future ICT research areas such as semantic web, augmented reality, storytelling, etc.

Thank You… Jesse Marsh, jesse@atelier.it Roberto Albergoni, r.albergoni@herimed.org Natale Giordano, ngiordano@coppem.net Francesco Passantino, francesco@iTeam5.net

Thank You…

Jesse Marsh, jesse@atelier.it

Roberto Albergoni, r.albergoni@herimed.org

Natale Giordano, ngiordano@coppem.net

Francesco Passantino, francesco@iTeam5.net