International Symposium on the “Cultural Heritage of the Digital Transformation Era”

 - Hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea and organized by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

/ 23-24 November 2023 / 20 speakers from 8 countries for presentations and discussions

The Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea (Administrator of CHA, Eung-chon Choi) in collaboration with the Digital Heritage Lab in the Graduate School of Culture Technology at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (President of KAIST, Kwang Hyung Lee), will host the 2023 International Symposium on Digital Heritage with the theme of 'Cultural Heritage as Data: A Data-Driven Approach to Advancing Digital Methods,' starting from November 23rd to 24th at the Yang Seungtaik Auditorium in the Academic Cultural Complex at KAIST. The symposium will feature presentations and discussions by 20 experts from 8 countries.

This marks the fourth annual International Symposium on Digital Heritage, which aims to share digital technology's application in documenting, conserving, managing, interpreting, disseminating, and utilizing cultural heritage here and abroad. The symposium is jointly organized by CHA in collaboration with KAIST and the Korean National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS-Korea). It has been drawing growing interest, both domestically and internationally, as digital technology continues to advance and integrate into various facets of cultural heritage.
* ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites): An advisory body to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee)

In this year's symposium, numerous international experts in digital heritage will present and discuss their research topics. Professor Sander Münster from Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena in Germany, representing the European Time Machine Project, will deliver a presentation titled "A Current State of 3D Modeling for Humanities Research and Education." Professor Mario Santana Quintero from Carleton University in Canada, who formerly served as the Secretary-General of ICOMOS International, will give a lecture entitled "Opportunity to Change – Digital Technologies in Shifting Presentation Narratives and Conservation of Cultural Heritage." Additionally, Joe Kallas from Pennsylvania State University in the United States, actively involved in the recovery and assessment of cultural heritage affected by disasters such as the Ukraine war and earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, will present "Innovate to Elevate – 3D Technology's Impact on Disaster Recovery." Furthermore, there will be a workshop titled "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Voice Docent for Museums," designed for over 80 Korean university students, where AI technology will be applied to cultural heritage interpretation process in museums. Detailed schedules and information can be accessed on the event website (https://www.isdh2023.org).

Furthermore, in September of this year, the CHA and KAIST successfully secured the hosting privilege for the 30th ICOMOS CIPA International Symposium in 2025. This event is organized by CIPA Heritage Documentation, the international scientific committee for heritage documentation in the field of cultural heritage. The symposium will take place in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
* CIPA Heritage Documentation: Among 28 international scientific committees under ICOMOS, the 'Comité International de Photogrammétrie Architecturale (CIPA)' was established in 1968. It later assumed a specialized role in the field of cultural heritage documentation and adopted its current name.


The CIPA International Symposium, which has been held every two years since 1971, is the largest academic event where experts and professionals from various countries gather to share the latest research and technology in fields such as archaeology, architecture, conservation science, and digital heritage. Hosting the CIPA International Symposium in Asia for the fourth time, following Kyoto (2009), Taipei (2015), and Beijing (2021, held virtually), is a significant milestone.

The CHA anticipates that this event, along with the hosting of the 2025 CIPA International Symposium, will lead to a significant advancement in the field of cultural heritage conservation and management by incorporating digital technology. They have also expressed their commitment to enhancing reputation of the Republic of Korea and its role in expanding cooperation with experts from around the world.