image: The Processions of Mendrisio, by Heinz Plenge, CC BY-SA.

Photoconsortium, together with SECreTour project, Europeana, UNESCO Chair of the Università della Svizzera Italiana in ICT to develop and promote sustainable tourism in world heritage sites and UNESCO Chair of the Università di Genova in Anthropology of Health, Biosphere and Healing Systems, is organizing on 25th October 2025 in Lugano a exciting day of creativity and reflections about the role of open access collections in digital storytelling supporting heritage tourism (natural, cultural and intangible).

Beyond Borders Hackathon invites university students and young digital creators interested in digital cultural heritage, social science and humanities, cultural promotion and sustainable tourism to deliver a creative proposal using the vast collections available on the Europeana website, inspired by SECreTour’s mission to promote sustainable, engaging and creative tourism as a driver for a better future in rural and remote areas.

The general theme is “Exploring Insubria, and other cultural corridors through digital heritage collections“. 

Participants will explore Europeana’s open-access collections and reusable cultural datasets and identify themes linked with cross-border heritage and identities. the scope of the creative works is to design novel approaches to communicate the concept of geocultural heritage of Insubria and deliver stories incorporating digital storytelling, participatory approaches, responsible tourism and traditions from rural communities.

Deadline for applications: 3 October 2025

Read more and apply: https://www.photoconsortium.net/beyond-borders-hackathon/