In the framework of the European Heritage Days 2024, the Pro-European Center and the National Digitization Center of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova organized interactive educational and informational sessions on the theme “The Europeana platform– Participatory Approaches to Digital Cultural Heritage”. The activities were carried out in collaboration with institutions such as the Ion and Doina Aldea-Teodorovici High School of Arts, the Alexandru Plamadeala College of Fine Arts, and the Center of Excellence in Light Industry. Students, teachers, and future professionals from the arts and cultural sectors participated in these events.

These sessions aimed to promote the use of the Europeana —  Europe’s vast collection of  digitized cultural heritage records and to support the integration of digital resources into the educational process. With the guidance of specialists from the Pro-European Center and the National Digitization Center, participants learned how to search effectively on the Europeana platform (https://www.europeana.eu), navigate its digital content, while also becoming familiar with the platform’s structure.

Through a participatory approach, participants explored a variety of topics:

• Art and Music: Students learned how to search for information on works of art, artists, and composers using the Europeana collections dedicated to art and music. Practical exercises allowed them to discover audio recordings, scores, and multimedia materials, all tailored to curriculum requirements.
• Fashion Design: Activities included exploring the Europeana Fashion collection, which features over a million fashion images, sketches, and accessories from European museums. Young people from the Center of Excellence in Light Industry examined these resources and practiced advanced search techniques.
• Conditions for Reusing Digital Materials: Participants learned about copyright compliance and the use of Creative Commons licenses for integrating digital resources into their artistic and educational projects.
• Integration of Local Heritage: Participants explored the collections of the Moldavica Digital Library (http://www.moldavica.bnrm.md), which are integrated into Europeana, and visited the National Digitization Center of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova to gain insight into the process of digitizing Moldova’s written national heritage.

The activities featured participatory methods, including practical exercises, interactive discussions, and virtual thematic explorations, all of which facilitated active learning. One notable aspect was the adaptation of themes to the specific interests of the participants, whether they were art students or aspiring designers.

The initiative had a noticeable impact by enhancing participants’ digital skills, encouraging them to valorize cultural heritage, and engaging them to European educational resources.

Additionally, the sessions strengthened the relationships between local and European institutions, offering participants an innovative perspective on cultural heritage.

Details – https://cpescmdlib.blogspot.com/2024/09/sesiunil-educational-informative.html