The HIGHRES project, “Helping Intangible Heritage Resilience through Storytelling,” has officially begun its mission to preserve and celebrate Europe’s rich cultural traditions. Our initiative kicked off with an inspiring meeting in the charming town of Cēsis, Latvia, hosted by the project’s coordinator, the Vidzeme Tourism Association (VTA). The meeting, which took place from 21-24 January 2024, brought together the project’s partners to lay the foundations for this Erasmus+ initiative, aimed at preserving and promoting the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of rural communities through digital storytelling.
Project overview and objectives
HIGHRES is a 2-year project (2023-2025) that aims to empower local communities by equipping them with the skills needed to preserve and share their intangible cultural heritage through digital narratives. This innovative approach seeks to ensure that traditions and customs are not only safeguarded, but also leveraged as tools for sustainable local development. The project will produce several key outcomes, including:
- A Good Practices Manual focusing on identification, participatory management, digital storytelling, and the promotion of ICH.
- The development of a framework methodology for digital storytelling and a comprehensive training pathway.
- Creation of training modules on digital storytelling of ICH.
- Development of a web-based app to house all training materials in an e-learning format.
The team behind HIGHRES
This mission is being carried out by a diverse team of partners from five European countries, each bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in areas such as tourism, intangible cultural heritage, higher education and storytelling.
The project is led by the Vidzeme Tourism Association (VTA) from Latvia, in partnership with OnProjects and the University of Jaén from Spain, the Lusófona University from Portugal, the University of Milano-Bicocca from Italy, and the Storytelling Centre from the Netherlands.
Together, they form a creative and dynamic network dedicated to making HIGHRES a success and leaving a lasting impact on the preservation of Europe’s intangible heritage.
Kick-off meeting highlights
The kick-off meeting brought together twelve participants representing all partner organisations. The President of VTA, Mr. Raitis Sijats, warmly welcomed the participants, marking the start of an intensive and collaborative session. A key focus of the meeting was to provide an overview of the project’s goals and how to bring them to life.
During the meeting, a workshop was held on the current state of digital storytelling of ICH in Europe. Partners from Latvia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the Netherlands shared insights and ideas on how intangible cultural heritage can contribute to rural development, economic growth, and social cohesion, highlighting the use of digital storytelling as an effective tool for preserving ICH and promoting rural areas.
An important part of the meeting was dedicated to the first steps towards the development of a Good Practices Manual. This guide will serve as a valuable resource for communities, offering practical advice on how to use digital storytelling to capture and share their unique heritage. By gathering examples of successful storytelling initiatives from across Europe, the project aims to inspire and guide others in their own cultural preservation efforts.
What’s next for HIGHRES
The kick-off meeting set the stage for the journey ahead, with partners eager to start implementing the project’s activities. In the coming months, they will be working closely with each other and with local communities, creating training and valuable resources to help them develop their own digital storytelling skills.
Stay connected with us as we embark on this exciting journey to preserve and promote Europe’s rich intangible cultural heritage. For more details and updates, follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X.
