Dear colleagues,
We extend our sincere gratitude to all participants of the Digital Heritage Summit 2026, held under the auspices of the CY Presidency of the EU Council and the Deputy Ministry of Culture in Limassol, from 25–29 May 2026. Your active engagement, outstanding contributions/presentations, insightful discussions, and collaborative spirit were instrumental in making this unique international gathering an exceptional success for Cyprus and Europe.
The Summit addressed a broad range of timely and highly relevant themes that are shaping the future of Digital Heritage. These included the digitisation of the 3D past; the evolution from 3D models to Digital Twins and Memory Twins, Authenticity and Identity; 3D viewers; standards, interoperability, and long-term digital preservation; the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Extended Reality (XR) in Cultural Heritage; the UNESCO values in Cultural Heritage and the use, and reuse of cultural heritage digital records; combating the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage; and the ethical, societal, and governance challenges arising from the latest technological developments in the digital documentation and preservation of the past. Collectively, these themes provided a comprehensive and forward-looking perspective on both the opportunities and responsibilities associated with the digital transformation of cultural heritage in the twenty-first century.
Importantly, the Summit also highlighted significant knowledge gaps and continuing challenges in the documentation, digitisation, preservation, interpretation, and reuse of the past. Discussions critically examined the current state of the field, identifying areas where further research, standardisation, capacity building, and technological development are still required. Particular attention was given to the opportunities, advantages, and implementation challenges associated with the 2021 European Commission Recommendation on a common European Data Space for Cultural Heritage, the European Cloud initiatives, and the role of Europeana in supporting access, interoperability, long-term preservation, and the sustainable reuse of cultural heritage resources. These discussions provided valuable insights into both the progress achieved and the work that remains necessary to fully realise a connected and inclusive digital ecosystem for cultural heritage.
This unique event continues to demonstrate that, beyond research, technology, innovation, and policy, it is the multi-/interdisciplinary community, partnership, and shared vision that drive progress and create lasting impact. The connections established, ideas exchanged, and collaborations initiated during these days will undoubtedly contribute to advancing the field and strengthening our collective efforts to safeguard, understand, and promote cultural heritage through digital technologies.
We are especially grateful to H.E. Deputy Minister of Culture Mrs. Dr. Lina Kassianidou, H.E. Deputy Minister of Research and Innovation, Mr. N. Damianou, the CY Chief Scientist Mr. D. Skourides and the 336 colleagues from across Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Asia who responded to our call and joined the Summit, generously investing their own time, effort, and resources to participate in and contribute to this collective endeavor, which is widely recognised as the largest and most extensive Summit ever organised under an EU Presidency in the domain of Digital Heritage. Their commitment, expertise, and dedication have been invaluable in shaping the outcomes of the Summit and, in particular, in contributing to the development of a unique position paper that will articulate both the current state of the field and a shared vision for its future development. We also express our deepest appreciation to the numerous European and international projects – especially the EU Digital-Europe EUreka3D-XR, the HE HERITALISE, the HE ECHOES and its sister projects, research infrastructures (DARIAH, CLARIN), institutions (EfA, Michael Culture) , organisations – like Europeana, networks such the Europeana Network Association, Cyprus Computer Society etc. and initiatives -like AI4LAM, that actively contributed to the programme and discussions. Their expertise, commitment, and willingness to share knowledge and experiences significantly enriched the Summit, fostering new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and impact across disciplines, sectors, and geographical boundaries. Together, these contributions have strengthened our collective capacity to identify emerging challenges, address existing gaps, and define strategic priorities that will help Europe maintain and further strengthen its global leadership in the domain of Digital Cultural Heritage.
We are particularly grateful to those colleagues, experts, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders who generously dedicated their time, knowledge, and expertise to support the Summit and contribute to its outcomes. Their collective efforts have helped shape the foundations of a unique position paper that captures the current state of Digital Cultural Heritage in Europe, identifies existing challenges and knowledge gaps, and outlines a strategic vision for the future. This important document will serve as both a reflection on where Europe stands today and a roadmap for where we must move in the years ahead if we are to maintain and strengthen Europe’s global leadership in the domain of Digital Cultural Heritage.
Thank you for being part of this exceptional event, for helping shape the future of Digital Heritage, and for strengthening a vibrant global community dedicated to preserving, understanding, and sharing humanity’s cultural heritage for present and future generations. We look forward to welcoming you again at future Digital Heritage events and continuing this important journey together.
Best wishes and regards,
Marinos Ioannides, UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage and
Anthony Cassar, Heritage Malta
www.digitalheritagesummit.eu
