Communicating Contemporaries and Connections. To interpret and communicate cultural heritage in transnational times

Description of the project

To be relevant, the interpretation and presentation of cultural heritage must connect to people`s personal perspectives, knowledge and experiences. The aim of this project is to improve the conditions for a democratic and constructive use of our mutual heritage. The project will evaluate and take an inventory of the existing solutions and and develop and test new methods, ways of presentation and techniques corresponding to the needs of today and tomorrow. The project consists of a number of practical efforts to develop interpretation and communication in connection to the world heritage site Birka. In this Birka will be made an interdisciplinary testbed for innovative and interactive informationdesign. One line of development for this work is to focus on Birka as a 9th century junction for communication and trade. For that reason Birka is linked up with Constantinople (Istanbul), a global metropolis of that period. Parts of this project are planned to be carried out in dialogue with researchers in interactive media design and heritage management at universities in Istanbul.