Source: AUN News
UNESCO TechCul Ideathon
UNESCO recognized groups from the Asia-Pacific area throughout its first TechCul Ideathon for proposing advanced digital options to beat challenges within the traditional and inventive sectors.
The Ideathon On-line Occasion on December 6, 2020, organized by UNESCO Bangkok and FOSSASIA, a non-profit targeted on the open supply software program and hardware, attracted 443 individuals from 34 nations.
Twenty-five finalists pitched their concepts to the jury members on the pitch occasion on January 9, 2021. Various groups from Afghanistan to Mongolia to New Zealand devised varied options to issues raised by COVID-19 and deeper-seated points. These included social e-commerce platforms that allowed crafts producers to work with consumers and AR/VR apps supplying entry to endangered heritage. Different groups labored on digital stage platforms, native tradition mapping apps, and cultural appreciation and training apps, amongst other issues.
TechCul’s effectiveness
“With the new challenges that the artistic sector confronted around the globe in 2020, TechCul is an effective way to foster modern concepts and digital options from the bottom up,” mentioned jury member Roxana Apostol, Programme Supervisor on the British Council.
The group favorite was Thailand’s Roots Routes staff, which acquired prizes from the British Council, the Worldwide Info and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage within the Asia-Pacific Area (ICHCAP), and Tencent, in addition to startup assistance from Thailand’s Digital Financial system Promotion Company and the Nationwide Innovation Company. The staff proposed a journey platform that sensitively and sustainably connects folks to indigenous tradition and native communities.
The WaH! The collective staff from Hong Kong SAR, China, was one other standard winner, pitching a web-based platform to attach tradition lovers with rural villagers using interactive workshops about native know-how. The mission acquired funding from Huawei and ICHCAP and mentoring from the College of Hong Kong.
“There isn’t a higher option to bridge the previous and the long run than to use expertise to protect and promote cultural enrichment.” We create alternatives for conventional arts to embrace digital ideas using UNESCO’s TechCul initiative to extend cultural attain,” Jury member Michael MacDonald, Chief Digital Officer at Huawei Applied sciences.
Artistic Financial system
The successful groups will obtain money, tech devices, cloud storage, mentoring, and incubation assistance from UNESCO and prestigious companions, amongst different issues. The funding will allow them to show their ideas into prototypes.
Amazon Net Companies will present cloud credit to all 25 finalists. Leading expertise corporations equivalent to Huawei and cultural establishments such as the British Council, ICHCAP, and the College of Hong Kong’s Centre for Civil Society and Governance supplied regional prizes. Advocacy Unified Network is organizing a commentary on the entire event. Sponsors from Thailand included the Digital Financial system Promotion Company, the Nationwide Innovation Company, and Tencent (Thailand).
“UNESCO’s TechCUL is a socio-technical revolution, understanding the changing economic, cultural and social scenario,” said Arindam Bhattacharya, Chairman of Advocacy Unified Network.
Background data
UNESCO launched the TechCul Initiative to carry collectively a brand new era of the latest expertise and traditional innovators, equivalent to artists, photographers, and museum curators. Members included each skilled professional and college student. The youngest staff consisted of a sister and brother from Singapore, ages 11 and 13.
“Digital applied sciences have made it attainable for us to take pleasure in cultural heritage with an easy click on of the mouse,” mentioned Gi Hyung Keum, Director-Normal of ICHCAP, to maintain the long-run effect of the primary technical occasion. Extra efforts could be made to advertise convergence between the two sectors. TechCul can bridge the hole between the 2, and we anticipate extra within the coming days.”
The jury evaluated the finalists based mostly on their relevance, enterprise potential, resolution design, technical implementation, scalability, collaboration, and inclusiveness.
Know-how consultants on the jury included Mario Behling (Co-founder of FOSSASIA), City Kaiser (Head of Innovation Acceptance Unit at Fraunhofer IMW), Michael MacDonald, Piti Patcharavalai (Senior Product Expertise Professional at Tencent), Phantika Trakunsathitmand (Senior Group Chief at DEPA), and Pariwat Wongsamran (Director of Startup Thailand at NIA).
Among the many cultural consultants on the jury have been:
Roxana Apostol (British Council Programme Supervisor), Jervais Choo (Deputy Director of the Singapore Nationwide Heritage Board), Min Yung Jung (ICHCAP Programme Specialist), Montira Unakul (UNESCO Bangkok Programme Officer), Anna Yau (Challenge Supervisor on the Centre for Civil Society and Governance, College of Hong Kong).
Commentary by: Advocacy Unified Network
