PLUGGY at the “Cultural Heritage in the Digital Era” workshop organised and hosted by the European Cooperation in Science & Technology Association (COST)

European cultural heritage benefits from a range οf EU policies, programmes and funding, the latter exceeding EUR 4.5 billion for the period from 2007 to 2013.

PLUGGY, the leading-edge, cultural heritage-specific project was represented at the ‘Cultural Heritage in the Digital Era’ workshop organised and hosted by the European Cooperation in Science & Technology Association (COST), a pan-European intergovernmental framework.

The event took place in Brussels on 25 October 2017 and was attended by over 35 participants, including representatives of the European Commission, research bodies and universities as well as Project Officers and members of the Permanent Representations of several Member-States to the EU.

Following introductions and presentations, the participants attended and actively contributed to the workshop which addressed questions raised by the participants themselves, there purposely having been no set agenda. The questions were related to various and diverse aspects of cultural heritage. This bottom-up approach was exemplified by the setting-up of discussion tables, each handling three iterations of the same question; participants rotated between three tables of their choice, one table per iteration. This interaction inspired and fomented the exchange of views and the creation of new ideas and approaches, whilst facilitating the understanding and bonding between the participants.

PLUGGY actively pursued as many quality contacts and discussions as time allowed and we expect this to continue in the form or feedback and further exchange of views, with improved understanding, convergence and effectiveness in mind.

What was especially heartening was the warm reception and recognition of PLUGGY by numerous participants as well as the opportunity further to inform and disseminate PLUGGY to a related and willing audience.