On March 27, 2025, the exemplary cases for protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions in the digital environment were officially released at the Creativity 2030 - 5th International Forum. A total of 40 cases, distinguished by their innovative highlights, sustainability, and cross-cultural replicability, stood out to present an "innovative portfolio" which comprises the brilliant ideas from around the globe and contributes to the preservation of cultural diversity in the digital era.
Scene of the Forum
From April to May 2024, the first call for the cases of the "Protecting and Promoting the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in the Digital Environment" and the corresponding recommendation session were launched, receiving widespread attention worldwide. Building on the first round, the second call officially commenced in November 2025, aiming to establish an open platform for global cutting-edge practices, and to inject new momentum into the protection of cultural diversity through technological empowerment. This call is part of UNESCO's global celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
13 Countries Responded Actively with Nearly 150 Cases Presenting Pathways of Innovation
Hans d'Orville, Chairman of the ICCSD Advisory Committee, releases the demonstration cases at the Forum
The second call focuses on three key fields: technology-empowered development of the cultural industry, technology-empowered cultural heritage protection, and innovation in preservation and utilization of intangible cultural heritage. Nearly 150 applications were submitted from 13 countries, including China, Egypt, and Italy. A panel of 12 experts from diverse fields evaluated the submissions, using innovation, sustainability, and replicability as the primary criteria, and selected 40 exemplary cases. These cases demonstrate significant features concerning technological integration, covering immersive performances, heritage digitization, and innovative practices in preservation and utilization of intangible cultural heritage. They strongly align with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), making notable contributions to education, gender equality, and economic growth, among other areas.
In Three Fields: How Technologies Empower Culture—A Contemporary Trend
Guests take photos during the demonstration case release session at the forum
The collected cases illustrate how digital technologies are empowering the cultural sector and building innovative bridges connecting the past and the future. In the field of technology-empowered development of the cultural industry, lightweight VR exhibition spaces allow visitors to traverse millennia within small areas. In terms of technology-empowered cultural heritage protection, micro-trace enhanced imaging aids the Sino-Egyptian joint archaeology project, making this digital technology a link between ancient Egyptian and Chinese civilizations. Among the innovative practices in preservation and utilization of intangible cultural heritage, large-scale, immersive digital performances provide contemporary expressions for multi-ethnic cultures inside one theater.
Looking Ahead: Transforming Exemplary Practices into Global Public Knowledge
Scene of the Forum
To ensure that these outstanding cases take root globally, the ICCSD has established a multi-dimensional promotion system: launching them globally at the Creativity 2030 - 5th International Forum to broaden outreach; organizing a series of online and offline matchmaking events to reach enterprises, research institutions, and other stakeholders for practical collaboration; and compiling the Special Issue of Typical Cases on Protecting and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in Digital environment, transforming the cases into globally shareable knowledge assets.
From preserving civilizational memories to activating cultural genes, these 40 cases demonstrate that digital technologies are becoming key guardians and pushers of the diversity of cultural expressions.
