The importance of innovation for better protection, management, and documentation of cultural heritage was highlighted during a recent event organized by the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, titled "Innovation in Cultural Heritage: Needs, Opportunities, and Future Collaborations."

According to a statement from the Centre of Excellence, the event was held as part of the ENGINEER research project, which aims to strengthen the research and innovation capabilities of the Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics at CUT (Cyprus University of Technology) through coordination and support actions provided by the Twinning call.

The event brought together distinguished researchers, experts, and professionals from the field of cultural heritage in Cyprus. Notably, students from CUT were also in attendance.

"Through the speeches of the participants, the importance of innovation for better protection, management, and documentation of cultural heritage was highlighted, while the need to promote innovative solutions and advanced engineering approaches was emphasized," the statement added.

Among other things, presentations were made on an innovative method for semi-automatic identification of illicit antiquities trafficking through satellite remote sensing and methods for documenting cultural heritage monuments.

The challenges of managing cultural heritage in the 21st century were also highlighted.

The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence has taken on the communication and interaction of the project's results with local industry, society, and policymakers through the Centre's Digital Innovation Hub.