Content and aim of the project

Within the HERMES project, sixteen partners from eight countries joined forces in order to promote innovative interactions between cultural heritage and New Media. The budget of HERMES amounted to 2 million Euros, with a duration of three years (2003-2006). The project was co-ordinated by the Weimar Classic Foundation, while the accompanying scientific work was carried out by the Institute of European Urban Studies at Bauhaus University.

The main objective of HERMES was to develop new ways of utilizing heritage through the integration of electronic media. Cultural monuments are preserved by means of enhanced perception and presentation, which simultaneously helps to strengthen regional development, inter alia by promoting tourism. Furthermore, HERMES elaborated practical proposals for a stronger cultural co-operation of the Central and South-East European space.

The main activities of HERMES were:

• presentation of cultural monuments through modern forms of presentation and communication (e.g. multi-media guides, virtual museums);
• restoration and preservation of cultural monuments through new uses, e.g. as educational centres and meeting-places, as sites for tourism, locations for small enterprises etc.;
• feasibility studies on common cultural heritage as a basis of media presentation and tourist use (e.g. for future European Cultural Routes and common education projects);
• establishment of an Internet Radio network as co-operation of broadcasting services from eight countries, reporting on various themes in the field of cultural heritage;
• preparation of educational offers on the topic of 'cultural heritage as a factor of sustainable regional development', targeting especially on young professionals and multipliers from the CADSES space ('Weimar Summer Courses', 'New Toblach Talks' etc.)

The community initiative Interreg III B CADSES