The EU-funded iHERITAGE international cooperation project, was named the most creative initiative for the enhancement of cultural heritage by the Department of Tourism of the Sicilian Region as part of EXPO Dubai 2020's thematic week "Travel&Connectivity Week."

The iHERITAGE project team kicked off 2022 with a one-of-a-kind exhibition displayed at the Italian Pavilion of the world's largest cultural gathering, EXPO 2020 DUBAI, on January 9th and 10th. The exhibition focused on the project's new immersive technologies (augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality), which will allow visitors to engage in an innovative way with the tangible and intangible UNESCO cultural heritage of the Mediterranean countries: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

Imagine being inside the EXPO 2020 Italian Pavilion, where the Sicilian Region - Department of Tourism, an iHERITAGE project partner, has set up an immersive tourism promotion and marketing installation curated by Laura Galvano, with an artistic video by Dario Andriolo, presenting Sicily in a new and highly engaging way by offering the opportunity to experience the territory in an environment immersed in the intoxicating scent of citrus, where the visitor walks on a floor clogged with citrus. As you take a look around the immersive room, you will find videos produced by the University of Palermo for the iHERITAGE project and by the Diocese of Monreale, with photos by Francesco Ferla. The immersive installation was set up in an evocative space where you could walk on a floor covered with mirrors and immersed in the inebriating scent of citrus, curated by architect Laura Galvano. Absolutely, breathtaking, if you ask us!

Here's what our partners had to say about their experience at EXPO 2020 DUBAI:

"Bringing the iHERITAGE project to Dubai is a source of pride for us, as well as an example of how teamwork and cooperation can develop extremely efficient initiatives. In a tough moment associated with the pandemic emergency, discussing new technologies and planning is the best method to develop and provide new remedies to a severely impacted industry such as tourism." - said Manlio Messina, Regional Assessor of Tourism.

Lucio Tambuzzo, creator of the iHERITAGE project expressed: "Being at EXPO has given us a global stage for the promotion of Sicilian UNESCO sites across the globe, which will be accessible in a completely novel and engaging manner. Not only technological innovation, but also cross-border co-creation processes, training courses, industry-academia collaboration, funding for start-ups and spin-offs throughout the Mediterranean basin, the establishment of the first Register of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mediterranean Countries, the Mediterranean network of UNESCO sites, and a Regional Centre for the safeguard and promotion of the Mediterranean intangible heritage."

This year is off to a great start and we cannot wait to see what the ambitious iHERITAGE has yet to accomplish!
Stay tuned as we tour the Mediterranean in search of ground-breaking innovations and first-of-its-kind development to the tourism sector of the region.