Exploring Insubria, and other cultural corridors through digital heritage collections

An initiative by Photoconsortium, 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.

This Hackathon invites university students and young digital creators interested in digital cultural heritage, social science and humanities, cultural promotion and sustainable tourism to meet at the Università della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, for an exciting day of creativity and reflections about the role of open access collections in digital storytelling supporting heritage tourism (natural, cultural and intangible).

Each team will deliver a creative proposal (e.g. digital exhibit, prototype app, campaign to promote cultural destinations, comunication concepts, all to be licensed as CC-BY) 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.

Location: USI, Lugano – Multi-purpose Space, Campus B

Date: 25 October 2025 h 9.00 to 18.30 CET.

Participants will:

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

The cultural datasets to be explored and challenges of the hackathon will be presented by the Organising Committee at the opening of the event.

Teams of participants will be formed and creative work will begin in the morning.

Each team will pitch their projects in a presentation at the end of the day.

A jury of experts will select the winning projects and teams, and an award ceremony will announce the Hackathon winners.

A celebrating aperitivo will conclude the day.

APPLICATION, REIMBURSEMENT AND PRIZES

Applications should be submitted by 3rd October 2025.

Selected applications will be communicated by 10th October 2025.

1st, 2nd and 3rd places will be awarded, respectively: 1st place: 300 chf; 2nd place 200 chf; 3rd place: 100 chf. Additionally, the three winning teams will collaborate with experts from the organising partners to showcase their work in Europeana, on Photoconsortium website, in the dedicated space of SECreTour hosted by digitalmeetsculture.net magazine and promoted by the two UNESCO Chairs.

AGENDA OF THE DAY

Logistics, travel and hotel recommendations >>>

Organizing Committe: Valentina Bachi, Antonella Fresa, Adine Gavazzi, Fiona Mowat, Anna Picco Schwendener.

Jury: Anna Siri (UNESCO Chair); David Iglesias (Center for Image and Diffusion of the Municipality of Girona); Nadia Fontana Lupi (Mendrisiotto Turismo Director); Alexandra Bitusikova (University Matej Bel); Alessandro Tosi (University of Pisa)

Contact and information: info@photoconsortium.net

APPLICATION FORM – deadline: 3rd October 2025

The information provided by the applicant in the form below is managed by Photoconsortium, and will be shared internally, in an anonymized form, within the organizing commitee, for the sole scope of managing the applicant’s request of participation in the Hackathon.

Please complete the fields below to apply for the Hackathon. The Organizing Committee will come back to you with confirmation and all details of participation.

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