Portugal is actively participating in the iHERITAGE project, with a primary aim to promote and enrich Mediterranean UNESCO cultural heritage. This involves the creation of cross-border living labs for research and innovation. The University of Algarve represents Portugal in this initiative, focusing on advocating for the Mediterranean Diet and its significance in Mediterranean cultural identity.

The Portuguese team has chosen Tavira as its specific geographic case study. Tavira is a region characterized by its small population and limited territorial scope. It is a place where close-knit relationships, productive activities, and ancestral cultural traditions continue to thrive.

Within the context of the iHERITAGE project, the University of Algarve has partnered with the Centro de Ciência Viva de Tavira. Their primary objective is to showcase the Mediterranean Diet using augmented reality. Through collaborations between universities and institutions, iHERITAGE actively promotes access to UNESCO cultural heritage, both on-site and off-site.

Furthermore, as a result of this collaboration and with support from Centro Ciência Viva de Tavira, the University of Algarve has partnered with the DiMEd project, which is funded by CRESC ALGARVE 2020. This collaboration has produced digital educational resources covering various aspects of the Mediterranean Diet. These resources include materials for educators and a range of tools applicable in classroom and self-directed learning settings.

In this sense, the work of DIMED's aims at the production and development of innovative digital educational resources, based on the different dimensions of the Mediterranean Diet. Through support in a virtual environment, it is then intended to improve and innovate the contents of the training offer for teaching and vocational training. In doing so, the objective is to contribute to the promotion of school success, as well as adaptation to the sectoral needs and transformations of the region.

Recently, to highlight these partnerships, iHERITAGE Portugal has created a brochure that consolidates information about cultural and technical exchanges. It also includes examples of Mediterranean Diet cultural elements with QR Codes that can be accessed through a project-specific mobile application.

Download and try it out today on IOS and Android to learn more about these initiatives and their impact on preserving Mediterranean cultural heritage!