CHARME interregional meeting 2-4/09/2025, Iaşi (Romania)
From September 2 to 4, the Municipality of Iaşi (RO) hosted the third semester in-person interregional meeting of the CHARME project – digital Cultural Heritage Activity acRoss Multiple European regions, welcoming the delegations from the partner cities of Pavia (Italy), Coimbra (Portugal), Poitiers (France), Turku (Finland), and Lviv (Ukraine), the advisory partner University of Pavia (IT) and their stakeholders.
On September 2 the activities took place at the Palace of Culture. The institutional greetings delivered by the Mayor of Iaşi, the Director of the Palace of Culture, and the Councillor from the Municipality of Pavia officially marked the opening of the meeting.
The morning was dedicated to the thematic seminar on Digitization of Heritage, Inclusion and Youth Engagement. The first part featured interventions by numerous stakeholders from Iaşi, who presented good practices and introduced the topic of cultural heritage digitization in relation to accessibility, inclusivity, and youth engagement. In the second part, the advisory partner provided further insights on European perspectives and new challenges, as well as tools and methods for 3D surveying and modeling. Subsequently, partners and their stakeholders presented related initiatives and projects to further deepen the exchange.
Following the seminar, two study visits took place at the same location. The first good practice visited was the project Royal Palace from Iaşi through Virtual Reality and 3D models: thanks to VR headsets, visitors could relive five historical episodes that took place on the current site of the Palace of Culture in Iaşi, the site of the Royal Palace, living an immersive experience that combines history and technology.
The second good practice was MuzeAR – an app to discover how heritage artifacts work: this interactive app uses XR technology to enhance the heritage exhibited in the Ethnographic Museum of the Palace of Culture; developed in Iaşi, it brings heritage objects to life, offering visitors an interactive and engaging experience during their museum visit.
In the afternoon, partners and stakeholders actively participated in a workshop focused on defining shared guidelines for the innovative inclusion of digitization methodology in policy instruments. The outcomes of this work will be elaborated by the advisory partner and made available to support partners in continuing the co-creation of the guidelines in the next interregional meeting.
September 3 was dedicated to continuing study visits to Iaşi’s good practices and the city’s cultural heritage, involving stakeholders and authorities responsible for policy tools.
The day began with a visit to the Memory Path and a presentation of Art Core – QR Monuments. These activities allowed partners to explore key areas of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi and conduct a pedestrian study visit on the Memory Path, including Lapusneanu Street (a historical landmark of the city, included also on the Art Core good practice), Union Square, Braunstein Palace and the Formal Turkish Baths, city heritage recovered and valorized; Bd. Ștefan cel Mare, the main city axis; Metropolitan Church; National Theatre; Municipal Premises “Roznovanu Palace”, Three Hierarchs Church, Palace of Culture, and Saint Nicholas Church, all key-elements of heritage that can be valorized even more using new technologies. The day enabled European participants to deepen their understanding of the city and the history of Iaşi through its valuable historical, artistic, and cultural heritage.
On September 4, the day began with a management board meeting and continued wirh a workshop on potential pilot actions to test a new approach to public interventions in cultural heritage digitization. This first exchange on the topic highlighted some common elements shared by all partners, which will be further discussed: the interest in testing a new jointly designed initiative, a focus on public spaces, the recovery of lost landmark heritage through digital technologies, the connection between real and virtual experiences, and targeting both tourists and city users, with special attention to young people and students to encourage their interaction.
The interregional meeting in Iaşi marked a significant step forward in the evolution of joint work, combining moments of in-depth exploration and hands-on workshops. The discussions, study visits, and collaborative activities provided a clear pathway for advancing shared methodologies and co-created guidelines, reinforcing both innovation and inclusivity in cultural heritage digitization. A meaningful experience that marked an important advancement for the CHARME project.
