The final conference of the international project “WRECKS4ALL 2.0” – “Digital Heritage: Innovative Tools and Strategies for Promotion” was held at the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro. The event brought together experts, researchers, institutional representatives, and cultural workers from the region with the aim of promoting and preserving underwater cultural heritage using modern digital technologies.
The “WRECKS4ALL 2.0” project is co-financed through the Interreg IPA cross-border cooperation program for the South Adriatic, under the European Union Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III). Its long-term goal is to create a hybrid museological model that combines physical and digital interpretation of cultural heritage, making it accessible and sustainable for future generations.
During the full-day program, progress achieved over the past five years through the implementation of the WRECKS4ALL Project was presented, including the first digitization of underwater cultural heritage and the opening of virtual reality rooms, the creation of a GIS database of shipwrecks in Montenegro, the establishment of a research unit for archaeology at the University of Montenegro, and the development of strategies to enhance diving tourism and establish underwater and virtual museums.
The focus of the conference was on the use of virtual reality, 3D modeling, geographic information systems, and digital storytelling as tools to increase the visibility of cultural heritage that is physically inaccessible to the general public.
The conference was opened by Jasna Bulatović, Head of the Directorate for Interregional Programs of the Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro, and Sabian Hasani, Advisor to the Minister for Economy, Culture, and Innovation of the Republic of Albania, while introductory speeches were delivered by project partners from Montenegro, Albania, and Italy.
Special attention was given to the presentation of the regionally adapted WRECKS4ALL Action Plan, developed as a strategic document for the coastal communities of the South Adriatic. The Plan addresses opportunities to expand the model of digital valorization of underwater heritage to new areas, the selection of sites for cross-border cultural routes, assessment of tourism sustainability, destination management, and the integration of digital innovations in the presentation and protection of heritage.
The conference included presentations from Montenegro, Italy, and Albania, with topics such as digital transformation of cultural tourism, underwater heritage geoportals, community education, and best practices in digitalization and protection of intangible heritage.
Participants had the opportunity to try VR applications developed within the project, virtually “diving” into the world of sunken ships and hidden stories of the Adriatic.