Sustainability, Culture, and the Digital Future: DIGICHer at ICSD 2025

Sustainable development is often discussed through environmental and economic lenses. Yet culture –

how societies remember, represent, and transmit meaning – remains one of its most fragile and essential

dimensions.

This perspective framed the 13th International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD 2025),

held on 10–11 September 2025 in Rome, Italy, and provided a meaningful context for the DIGICHer

project’s research focus.

Hosted by the European Centre of Sustainable Development in collaboration with CIT University, ICSD

2025 brought together scholars, educators, and practitioners committed to building sustainable futures

through research, practice, and education.

A Setting Where Heritage Meets Sustainability

The conference took place at Roma Eventi – Congress Centre, located within the premises of the

Pontifical Gregorian University, just steps away from Rome’s most iconic cultural landmarks. This setting –

surrounded by centuries of tangible and intangible heritage – underscored a central idea of the conference:

sustainability is not only about the future, but also about how we care for, interpret, and transmit the past.

In this context, discussions on sustainable development naturally extended beyond environmental and

economic systems to include cultural heritage, social equity, education, and community engagement.

DIGICHer in the Socio-Cultural Sustainability Dialogue

Within the Socio-Cultural Sustainability stream, researchers from VILNIUS TECH contributed a paper

titled “Towards an Inclusive Digital Cultural Heritage: Frameworks for Representation and Equity.” The

presentation explored how cultural heritage digitisation intersects with sustainability when viewed through

lenses of inclusion, ethics, and long-term social impact.

Rather than treating digitisation as a purely technical process, the contribution framed digital cultural

heritage as a shared social responsibility – one that requires collaboration between institutions,

communities, and policymakers. Particular attention was given to the risks of exclusion and imbalance

when minority and underrepresented groups are not actively involved in decisions shaping their digital

representation

Cultural Heritage as a Pillar of Sustainable Development

ICSD 2025 adopted a multidisciplinary approach to sustainability, integrating environmental, economic,

and socio-cultural dimensions. DIGICHer’s contribution aligned closely with this holistic vision by

emphasising that:

Cultural heritage is a core element of socio-cultural sustainability.
Digital transformation influences how identities, memories, and values are preserved.
Inclusive governance strengthens resilience and social cohesion.
Sustainable digitisation depends on participation, transparency, and ethical frameworks.

From this perspective, digital cultural heritage becomes not only a tool for preservation but also a means of

education, dialogue, and intergenerational continuity.

Why This Matters for DIGICHer

Participation in ICSD 2025 reinforced DIGICHer’s broader mission: to ensure that digital cultural heritage

initiatives contribute positively to sustainable development by respecting diversity, empowering

communities, and supporting equitable access to cultural knowledge.

By engaging with the global sustainability community in Rome, DIGICHer highlighted the importance of

embedding cultural heritage within sustainability strategies – not as an add-on, but as a fundamental

component of resilient and inclusive societies

DIGICHer at IFKAD 2025 – Knowledge Futures and Digital Cultural Heritage