CONFERENCE
The project's goal is to enhance the use of artificial intelligence in citizen science, particularly by promoting public participation in the safeguarding of cultural heritage in emergency situations. The leading partner of the project is the Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH) at the University of Luxembourg, with partners including the Digital Humanities Center at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia, the University of Latvia Library, Europeana, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and the educational innovation startup Web2Learn from Greece.
Tenured professor at the University of Latvia’s Faculty of Humanities, Sanita Reinsone, states:
AISTER is the first project launched alongside the establishment of the Digital Humanities Center at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Latvia. The conceptual pillars of AISTER are technology, citizen science, and cultural heritage. The project addresses a crucial regional issue—how to use artificial intelligence and other technologies for the public good, particularly in the preservation of heritage threatened by war. We are delighted to collaborate under the leadership of the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH) alongside partners from Greece, the Netherlands, and Ukraine.
One of the project partners at the University of Latvia is the University of Latvia Library. Its director, Uldis Zariņš, emphasizes the library’s significant role:
Safeguarding cultural heritage for future generations is paramount for any memory institution. The University of Latvia Library, as a holder of one of the richest collections of Latvian written heritage, takes this mission very seriously, especially in these turbulent times when we witness the deliberate destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage. To increase the capacity of memory institutions to deal with emergencies, we must both understand and raise awareness of the possibilities provided by advances in AI and the power of community engagement. We are excited for this opportunity to collectively explore these important themes with such brilliant partners.
The project coordinator, Tugce Karatas from the University of Luxembourg, also highlights the key role of the University of Latvia:
As the project coordinator, I am thrilled to have the University of Latvia as one of our key partners in the AISTER project. My colleague Sanita Reinsone and her team’s expertise in digital humanities and preservation is invaluable as we collaborate to safeguard Ukraine’s cultural heritage during these challenging times. This partnership exemplifies the power of international cooperation in addressing the urgent need to preserve cultural memory. Over the next two years, the Digital Humanities Center at the University of Latvia’s Faculty of Humanities and the University of Latvia Library will play a central role in advancing citizen science through cultural heritage, facilitating collaborative workshops, sharing expertise in digital preservation during roundtable discussions, and fostering international dialogue to ensure the preservation of Ukrainian heritage for future generations.
Funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ KA2 programme. Project Nr. 2024-2-LU01-KA220-HED-000290738.
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