An international conference on the application of high technologies in the presentation of cultural and historical heritage was held at King ICT, organized by the Regional Development Agency Međimurje (REDEA) and the innovation management company INI-Novation GmbH from Germany.
The aim of the conference was to open up space for innovation and greater application of high technologies in the protection and presentation of cultural and historical heritage. Opportunities for financing future projects in Croatia and the EU were also discussed. Wolfgang Kniejski, a representative of INI-Novation, stated that there are numerous funding opportunities for such projects in the EU, as they believe that the development of cultural and historical heritage in local communities fosters tourism, which aids regional development that the EU pays special attention to. INI-Novation acts as an intermediary between high technology science and market needs, and is already working on two projects in Croatia. Kniejski stated that high technology in this area in Croatia can be applied either through the development of technology by local experts or through technology transfer from the EU.
The conference attracted more than 70 participants from various organizations, tourist boards, museums, educational institutions, technology solution creators, local governments, development agencies, and ministries. The organization of the conference was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, as part of the project ‘KroatINI – Science and Innovation Marketing Croatia’, as well as BICRO through the Technology and Innovation Center Međimurje, and KING-ICT. Ana Kralj, head of the investment promotion department at REDEA, emphasized the importance of this conference for the project of the Technology and Innovation Center Međimurje, which the agency has been implementing since October of last year. ‘The vision for the development of the TIC is to position itself as a crossroads of knowledge, innovation, and technology flows in and from the regional economy for the benefit of Međimurje and the wider region, and today’s event is a step in that direction,’ said Ana Kralj. All conference participants reached a consensus that new technologies should be embraced as the cornerstone for further development crucial for the future revival of cultural and historical heritage. (Zlatko Salahović)
