𝑨𝑼𝑹𝑶𝑹𝑨 – 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝑳𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
On 18 and 19 November Istituto Italiano di Studi Germanici hosts AURORA, an international conference devoted to the cultural heritage of Nordic minority communities in the age of digitisation. Its title is an acronym that charts its course: Access, Universal equity, Reuse, Openness, Representation, Activation.
Around these six dimensions, researchers, archivists and cultural heritage professionals will explore how to make the digital transition truly equitable and participatory, so that communities’ memory is told with them, not merely about them.
The conference takes inspiration from the DIGICHer project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme (Grant Agreement No. 101132481).
📅 18-19 November 2026
📍 Istituto Italiano di Studi Germanici, Via Calandrelli 25, Rome
Programme: https://lnkd.in/dnxipsUg
Who decides and who benefits? Digitised cultural heritage in the age of AI and data spaces
What cultural heritage should be digitised? Why? And how?
Join us for this policy event as partners from the DIGICHer, REEVALUATE and IMPULSE projects present their joint position paper - based on three years of extensive research and work with minority communities, heritage institutions and creative re-users of digitised collections - as that explores the question on what should be digitised, how and why.
The paper asks who decides about digitised heritage when it belongs to a community, how rights and context can travel with the data, and who pays for participation and for the services that outlive project grants. Each project presents its evidence, followed by a discussion with policy makers on the AI strategy for the cultural and creative sectors and the next Horizon Europe work programmes.
DIGICHer, REEVALUATE and IMPULSE are the three Horizon Europe projects funded under topic HORIZON-CL2-2023-HERITAGE-01-03, “Re-visiting the digitisation of cultural heritage: What, how and why?”.
Programme:
10:00 Welcome (Europeana)
10:05 The joint position paper in brief
10:15 DIGICHer, REEVALUATE and IMPULSE projects share their evidence
10:45 Discussion with invited project and policy officers
11:25 Closing Speakers
Speakers include:
Maria Claudia Bodino - Research and Innovation on Artificial Intelligence and Data for Democracy, Culture and Equality. Cultural Heritage and Cultural Creative Industries at European Commission
Monika Mačiulienė - Senior Researcher at VILNIUS TECH (Citizen Science Hub)
Żaneta Żegleń Assistant Professor and IMPULSE Project Coordinator at Jagiellonian University Museum
Marco Rendina - Managing Director at European Fashion Heritage Association
Secure your place at webinar here: https://pretix.eu/Europeana-Foundation/DIGICHer-november2026/
DIGICHer at Europeana Project Month
The session will present some key results from the DIGICHer project, focusing on its recommendations, implementation strategies and guidelines. It will show that responsible digitisation of minority and Indigenous cultural heritage requires coordinated action by policy makers, cultural heritage institutions and communities. The DIGICher recommendations and guidelines provide an integrated framework for embedding inclusive participation, ethical governance, responsible access and reuse, and long-term stewardship throughout the digitisation lifecycle. Together, they support more equitable, inclusive and sustainable approaches to cultural heritage digitisation.
Find out more about Europeana Project Month.
Indigenous and Minority Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age: DIGICHer Project Presents Its Results in Inari
Indigenous and Minority Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age: DIGICHer Project Presents Its Results in Inari
Organisers: The National Archives of Finland and the University of Lapland
Location: Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos, Menesjärventie 2, 99870 Inari, Finland
Dates: 9–10 November 2026
About the Event
The National Archives of Finland and the University of Lapland will organise an event in Inari on 9-10 November 2026, where the DIGICHer project (Digitisation of Cultural Heritage of Minority Communities for Equity and Renewed Engagement) will present its work on the digitisation of Sámi, Jewish and Ladin cultural heritage.
The digitisation of minority and Indigenous cultural heritage creates new opportunities for research, but it also raises important questions about who decides how heritage materials are used and made accessible.
The aim of the DIGICHer project is to develop guidelines and recommendations for the digital management and use of archives relating to minority cultural heritage. Questions concerning the digitisation of cultural heritage have been explored together with communities through workshops organised, for example, with Sámi participants in Inari, Utsjoki and Sevettijärvi.
We warmly welcome you to hear about the project's results and participate in the discussion on Tuesday, 10 November, from 13:00 to 16:00 at the Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos, Menesjärventie 2, 99870 Inari, Finland or online.
Programme
Monday, 9 November 2026
Invitation-only session: The event will begin on Monday, 9 November, with an invitation-only session where researchers from the University of Lapland will present the project's key results, as well as recommendations for policymakers and users of cultural heritage materials, to invited stakeholders.
Programme
9 November 2026 – Inari, Sajos (meeting room Solju)
Discussion event on the recommendations and guidelines on digitisation of cultural heritage of Sámi and minority communities produced by the DIGICher project
Join us at Sajos, Inari, on 9 November 2026 for a discussion event organized by the University of Lapland and the DIGICHer project. The event will present key project results, including recommendations, implementation strategies, and guidelines for the governance of Sámi and minority digital cultural heritage based on the CARE Principles. The event provides an opportunity to discuss these outcomes, share feedback, and explore how community perspectives, cultural values, and locally appropriate decision-making practices can be better reflected in digital heritage governance.
Interpretation will be available in Finnish and English. North Sámi-speaking members of the project team will also be available to assist with communication.
09:00–10:15 | Opening Session (Hybrid)
Presentation of consent form – Dino Girardi (University of Lapland)
Opening remarks – Rosa Ballardini (University of Lapland)
Address by the President of the Sámi Parliament Biret Näkkäläjärvi
Introduction to the DIGICHer project, Rosa Ballardini (University of Lapland)
Presentation of the DIGICHer project's preliminary results:
DIGICHer Recommendations and Guidelines, Rosa Ballardini (University of Lapland)
DIGICher CARE Principles Reflection Lists, Dino Girardi (University of Lapland) and Inker-Anni Linkola-Aikio (University of Lapland)
10:15 - 10:30 Coffee and bites
10:30–11:15 | Remarks and Discussion
Reflections from the point of view of GIDASápmi, Susanna Siri (GIDASápmi)
Feedback and Q&As on the proposed Recommendations, Guidelines and CARE Reflection Lists by participants
11:15–12:15 | Lunch Break
12:15–13:30 | Remarks and Discussion (cont’d) (Room: Dollagáddi)
Feedback and Q&A on the proposed Recommendations, Guidelines and CARE Reflection Lists by participants in groups
Reflections from point of view of education, Pigga Keskitalo (University of Lapland)
Concluding remarks
Tuesday, 10 November 2026
Time: 13:00 – 20:00
Details: On Tuesday, the project will be discussed from the perspectives of cultural heritage institutions and minority communities.
Format: Hybrid - on site and via Zoom.
Languages: North Sámi, Finnish and English
Community workshops organised during the project have guided the development of an ethical digitisation framework. The event will present experiences and results gained through collaboration with three different communities. For example, three archival collections relating to Sámi culture were selected from the Sámi Archives of the National Archives of Finland through community workshops and digitised in cooperation with Sámi participants. The event will explore the questions and considerations that emerged during their selection and processing. These collections are:
The archive of the Utsjoki Village Fishing Waters Shareholders' Association
The archive of Inari Sámi word slips compiled by linguist Erkki Itkonen
The archive of anthropologist Tim Ingold's fieldwork in Sevettijärvi
The evening programme (from 5:00 PM onwards, on site only) features the film Talis Mater (2025), which explores Ladin culture (directed by Marco Rossetti; produced by the Ladin Cultural Institute Majon di Fascegn and Rai Trento), followed by a performance by Inari Sámi livđe artist Anna Morottaja.
Highlights & Performances
Musical Performance: A performance by Inari Sámi musician Anna Morottaja
Film Screening: A screening of the film Talis Mater (2025; directed by Marco Rossetti; produced by the Ladin Cultural Institute "Majon di Fascegn" in collaboration with Rai Trento), which explores Ladin culture.
Sign up here: https://link.webropolsurveys.com/EP/1A6841BE3350AC7B
Inauguration of the historic apiary "Bait de la èves de Ronch"
With a passion for the land, the Ladin Cultural Institute “Majon di Fascegn” is proud to combine culture, identity, and biodiversity in the restoration of the historic "Bait de la èves de Ronch’’ - a historic apiary dating back to the 1950s, located in the Ronch area. The structure, distinguished by its unique architecture -featuring a façade of shaped wooden shingles and traditional colorful decorations - will serve as the centerpiece of a new open-air museum section: the “Vidor de la èves” (Garden of the Bees). This initiative is the result of a significant collaborative effort involving the Majon di Fascegn, the Edmund Mach Foundation, the Fiemme and Fassa Beekeepers’ Association, the APOP service of the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Superintendency for Cultural Heritage, and local professional beekeepers.
The official inauguration will take place on Friday, October 16, starting at 4:00 PM, at the Institute’s headquarters in San Giovanni di Fassa. During the afternoon, the architectural restoration and the educational potential of the site will be presented, alongside in-depth discussions on local beekeeping and the historical and linguistic research conducted by the Institute. The event will conclude with open working sessions for citizens, beekeepers, and enthusiasts, designed to gather stories, personal accounts, and ideas to help shape future initiatives and fully realise the value of this new shared cultural asset.
The apiary is a one-of-a-kind structure and a true gem for the Majon di Fascegn. It stands as an ethnographic element of extraordinary value, narrating a profound story of life, migration, and return to the valley—reflecting both seasonal labor and a deep-rooted connection to Alpine tradition. Located in the meadows adjacent to the Institute and the Ladin Museum of Fassa, the "Bee Garden" (Giardino delle api) will feature an educational and botanical trail, enriched with native plant species and traditional crops. This initiative revives a historical practice that was once central to the valley’s agrarian economy, transforming it into a vibrant, multidisciplinary laboratory.
This initiative was developed as part of the European Horizon Europe project "DIGICHer," in which the Ladin Cultural Institute is an active partner. In line with its objectives, the Institute has adopted the CARE principles (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) regarding the participatory enhancement of heritage. This approach focuses on the conscious and ethical engagement of various local stakeholders—spanning the economic, cultural, linguistic, and social spheres—with the aim of making the community the true custodian and protagonist of its own historical and cultural legacy.
Digitised - What's next? DIGICHer and Sugihara House Museum
On October 15–16, 2026, the Sugihara House Museum in Kaunas hosted an international seminar “Digitised. What’s Next?” and a DIGICHer co-creation workshop.
Lithuanian museums store millions of exhibits, hundreds of thousands of which are already digitized and publicly accessible. However, a digitized object that no one finds or uses often remains simply on a file server. Therefore, the seminar focused on three questions:
Does anyone actually use what we digitize?
What can artificial intelligence really offer?
Will digital projects survive in five years?
Find out more: https://www.sugiharahouse.com/digitised
Gender in the digitisation of cultural heritage
Join ‘‘Gender in the digitisation of cultural heritage’’ and discover where gender gaps in digital collections appear, how they can be reproduced or corrected at each of six stages of digitisation, how participatory citizen science interventions can make a difference and get a six-question checklist, one per stage, that a heritage team can go through before publishing a digitised collection.
"Digital Agenda and AI to Redesign Tourism'' on World Tourism Day 2026
Rosa Ballardini, from DIGICHer partner University of Lapland is presenting at the ‘‘Digital Agenda and AI to Redesign Tourism’’ webinar, organised by the Finnish Society for Tourism Research on World Tourism Day 2026.
Join to hear Rosa present findings from the project in ‘‘AI in Digital Cultural Heritage: Safeguarding Local Community Rights and Intellectual Property’’.
Sign up for the free webinar here: https://www.lyyti.fi/reg/World_Tourism_Day_2026_Webinar
NPLD Networking Breakfast on the occasion of the European Day of Languages
On Wednesday 23 September the Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity (NPLD) will mark the European Day of Languages with a high‑level conversation on “Linguistic Diversity and Digital Heritage: Europe’s Shared Memory”, organised in cooperation with the EU‑funded project DIGICHer (Digitisation of the cultural heritage of minority communities for equity and renewed engagement).
The programme will combine a keynote reflection and a panel discussion exploring how Europe’s linguistic diversity is in the way minority communities’ heritage is collected, described and made accessible online, and how more inclusive, community‑driven approaches can help ensure that all languages and cultures have a place in Europe’s shared memory.
Government members of the NPLD, members of the European Parliament, representatives of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, and representatives of EU member states have been invited to this celebration.
Archivissima 2026
DIGICHer project partner Istituto Culturale Ladino “Majon di Fascegn” participates in Archivissima, the national Italian festival dedicated to promoting historical archives and heritage.
As part of the festival’s Night of the Archives, the Istituto hosts the event “The Archive That Isn't There – 130 Years of Cooperative Memory’’, in partnership with Fassa Coop and Radio Ladinia. Activities include activities such as showcasing original historical documents and photographs, video interviews, and specialised podcast workshops for local youth.
Watch some of the stories here (In Italian):
AIUCD2026 Cagliari
DIGICHer project partners Giovanni Bertelli, Matteo Cava and Eleonora De Longis from Istituto Italiano di Studi Germanici will present their paper on methodological approaches aimed at actively engaging minoritised communities in the process of digitising their cultural heritage.
With a focus on the case study of the Ladin community of Val di Fassa, and with a co-creative method at the heart of the project, transforming digitisation from a merely technical process into a relational and ethical practice based on direct engagement.
Through citizen science and empirical engagement, the research integrates typically ethnographic sensibilities to capture narratives, emotions, and identity values that elude traditional methods. The trial with the Ladin community validates a model of community governance, where technological choices are subordinated to the minority's cultural priorities with the aim of harmonising scientific research, innovation, and identity preservation.
Presentation of the book "Jent de Fascia" and a theatrical performance in Ladin.
This year the journey to discover the characters who have marked Ladin identity continues with the figure of Franz Dantone Pascalin .
We invite you to get to know him through a new book in the "Jent de Fascia " series and a theatrical performance: a light-hearted and accessible way for everyone to rediscover a piece of history.
INVEST Pre-Conference: From Research to Decision-Making
Research published – social impact achieved?
How does research-based knowledge find its way into decision-making and public debate? Pigga Keskitalo from the University of Lapland represented the DIGICHer project at the INVEST Conference 2026.
The pre-conference focused on societal impact - exploring how published research becomes societal change, and Pigga discussed examples from the DIGICHER project to demonstrate research impact.
CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance: Legal and Ethical Perspectives
Join our research seminar and social event online on 22 April 2026.
The event will explore the implementation of the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance – Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, and Ethics – giving insights from both legal and ethical perspectives.
The programme will feature presentations by invited speakers.
Invited speakers:
Rene Urueña Hernandez, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotà
Yovana Reyes Tagle, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú: The Peruvian experience on the implementation of traditional knowledge databases associated to genetic resources: how does it reflect the CARE principles?
Arianda Matas, Europeana Foundation: Open access and ethics
Artha Dermawan, University of Lapland: Indigenous Heritage in the Machine: “CARE Beyond Copyright”
Maiju Saijets, University of Lapland: Applying CARE Principles in Doctoral Research – Methodological and Practical Perspectives
Meeting of the traditional knowledge nework in Finland
DIGICHer project partner Inker-Anni Linkola-Aikio, University of Lapland attended a meeting on Nordic Indigenous traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions in the city of Oulu in connection with the Oulu European Capital of Culture programme.
Inker-Anni presented current research and the DIGICHer project titled: Artificial intelligence and Sámi culture and cultural heritage, Sámi language models and the related opportunities and challenges
DIGICHer @ 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 2026
DIGICHer project partners presented: Reframing Cultural Heritage Digitisation: Co-Creation, Inclusion, and the Quadruple Helix Approach
DIGICHer @ The 6th IAFOR International Conference on Arts & Humanities
DIGICHer colleagues attended the 6th IAFOR International Conference on Arts & Humanities in Hawaii and ran the panel session: From Archives to Algorithms: Shaping Cultural Futures with AI
Europeana Café: Balancing Openness with Ethical Access and Use. The Case of Data and Digital Heritage Belonging to Minority, Indigenous and Other Communities
This Europeana cafe explored data and digitised heritage, belonging to minority, indigenous and other communities by introducing case studies from various perspectives involving communities’ data, its preservation, presentation and handling by institutions. This Cafe was organised in collaboration with DIGICHer project partners Europeana and the University of Lapland.
CHNT 2025
Sander Muenster and Cindy Kröber from Friedrich Schiller University Jena attended CHNT 2025 and presented an introduction to the Heritage Monitor and its connection to minorities, titled: Big Publication Data - Insights from Research Projects and Articles into Cultural Minorities’ Part in Re-search and Funding. They also presented an introduction to DIGICHer, with a focus on WP1 insights into challenges for minority communities titled: Designing a Framework to Support Minority Communities in Digitizing Cultural Heritage
![Communities in New Media [GeNeMe]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66db49f748b4057a8068ce34/1770394574874-E1APZ8D976PB4V81JK0Y/81efce71-102d-4b34-9e92-e85be6e85efa.png)
Communities in New Media [GeNeMe]
Katrin Fritsche from Friedrich Schiller University Jena ran an online presentation and survey at GeNeMe 2025. The title of the presentation was: Digitale Teilhabe am Kulturerbe: KI-gestützte Ansätze zur Analyse und Förderung von Kulturerbedigitalisierung ethnischer und kultureller Gemeinschaften.
Nordic Archive Days 2025
Maija Mäkikalli from The National Archives of Finland presented the DIGICHer project, its goals, research, frameworks and community workshops at Nordic Archive Days 2025.
Sustainability, Culture, and the Digital Future: DIGICHer at ICSD 2025
At the 13th International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD 2025), researchers from VILNIUS TECH contributed a paper titled “Towards an Inclusive Digital Cultural Heritage: Frameworks for Representation and Equity.” The presentation explored how cultural heritage digitisation intersects with sustainability when viewed through lenses of inclusion, ethics, and long-term social impact.
DIGITAL HERITAGE 2025
Walter Ehrenberger from Friedrich Schiller University Jena presented two contributions from DIGICHer at Digital Heritage 2025.
1) Towards a Scientometric Understanding of Cultural & Digital Heritage
2) Determining a General CH Digitization Process based on a Scoping Review
The Nordic Design Conference 2025
The Nordes – Nordic Design Research – conference series started in 2005 and runs bi-annually. Nordes is an extensive network of people interested in design research and promoting the publication and dissemination of design research.
In August 2025 DIGICHer project partners from the University of Lapland attended and presented the research paper Cultural sovereignty and the future of Indigenous digital storytelling.
DIGICHer at IFKAD 2025 – Knowledge Futures and Digital Cultural Heritage
At the 21st International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics (IFKAD 2025) DIGICHer was represented in the thematic session “AI and Knowledge Futures in Cultural Tourism,” where Aelita Skaržauskienė, Kristina Kovaitė, Monika Mačiulienė, and Paulius Šūmakaris (VILNIUS TECH) presented the paper “AI-driven Knowledge Futures: Digital Innovation in Cultural Heritage.”
DIGICHer at the International Conference on Contemporary Issues in the Economy 2025, Poland
On 26–27 June 2025, DIGICHer researchers took part in the 13th International Conference on Applied Economics: Contemporary Issues in Economy, held in Olsztyn, Poland.
DH2025 (ADHO2025)
Walter Ehrenberger from Friedrich Schiller University Jena presented ‘‘Mapping the Digital Cultural Heritage Landscape: A Data-Driven Approach to Understanding Institutional Networks and Knowledge Distribution’’ at DH2025.
AIUCD 2025 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Challenges and Opportunities for Digital Humanities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
DIGICHer partners presented the objectives and methodological development of the European project DIGICHer, dedicated to revising the guidelines for the digitalization of the cultural heritage of ethnic minorities in Europe. In collaboration with the Sámi, Ladin, and Jewish communities, through a highly multidisciplinary approach, the project aims to build a methodology to address a process of digital transition of cultural heritage that confronts the issues of ethics and sustainability.
DIGICHer @ Sami Science Week
Dino Girardi and Inker-Anni Linkola-Aikio from the Unversity of Lapland attended Sami Science Week with a poster presenting the project
Europeana 2025 Conference
Europeana 2025 will be held on 11-12 June 2025 under the patronage of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU! This hybrid conference is organised in collaboration and partnership with the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the National Institute of Cultural Heritage and the POLIN Museum in Warsaw, who will host the conference.
DIGICHer will deliver a presentation, informing about the project’s ambitions and objectives and showcasing the intitial research results. We will also have a project stand to encourage networking and provide a space to discuss for those interested in following and getting involved in the later stages of the project.
The Paris Conference on Education (IAFOR 2025)
Katrin Fritsche from Friedrich Schiller University Jena presented the paper; Key Themes in Digitizing Cultural Heritage: An Analysis of Core Competencies, Topics, and Methods in Digital Humanities Higher Education Offers at the Paris Conference on Education, 2025.