The digitalisation project of Romania's cultural heritage, implemented by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Special Telecommunications Service (STS), was launched on Monday at the National Museum of Art, with Culture Minister Demeter Andras underscoring at the event that its completion represents 'an investment in visibility, in respect, in recognition.'

'There is one word I can say: accessibility. We cannot expect people caught in an ever-faster and more agitated pace of life to become aware of and discover our heritage. Once we move to this digitised version, accessibility will increase significantly and I am convinced it will spark interest and genuine curiosity to see this heritage 'in the flesh.' Last but not least, all the procedures, which are currently from the 17th century, I believe need to be brought into the 21st century,' Culture Minister Demeter Andras told AGERPRES.

In his turn, Minister of Investments and European Projects Dragos Pislaru highlighted the threefold importance of implementing the ePatrimoniu project.

'We know very well that in this period of national fiscal and budgetary constraints, European funds are, in fact, the best substitute and a lifeline for an area as important to society as Culture. Today's project combines two priorities. On the one hand, the digitalisation and accessibility of culture for the public, and on the other, the idea of prioritising culture within society. And for the Ministry of Investments, this project is also a priority,' Pislaru told AGERPRES.

Within the event, Culture Minister Demeter Andras stated that ePatrimoniu is not merely an administrative initiative, nor just a step towards modernisation, just as it is not only a significant financial investment.

'It is a promise. The promise that Romania's cultural heritage, with all its richness, vulnerabilities and diversity, will be preserved, protected and shared in a manner worthy of its value. (...) ePatrimoniu is not just a significant financial investment, it is an investment in visibility, in respect, in recognition. It is the way we tell Europe 'we have something precious to show, and we are ready to share and protect it using the tools of the century we live in.' I am convinced that the digitalisation of the heritage does not diminish the emotion of direct contact, but on the contrary, it amplifies it. People come to museums, sites and monuments only when they know they exist, when they can discover them, when they are invited in an accessible way to get close to them. An invisible heritage is a vulnerable heritage. An accessible heritage is a protected heritage. (...) That is why ePatrimoniu is more than a platform, it is a gesture of responsibility towards our collective memory,' Demeter said.

Minister of Investments and European Projects Dragos Pislaru pointed out that the 'alliance' between his institution and the Ministry of Culture is intended to 'offer society what we need most today: spiritual and cultural nourishment, the things that can truly define a more cohesive society.'

'By using technology, digitisation and anchoring the past in the future, we are simply fulfilling our purpose, to truly provide the Romanian state with a tool that reduces ambiguity in understanding the past and increases responsibility regarding the future and our path forward,' Pislaru pointed out.

At the event, Bogdan Trambaciu, director of the Project Management Unit (UMP) within the Ministry of Culture and Monica Dragan, deputy director of the UMP, spoke about the ePatrimoniu project and the advantages of its implementation.

Furthermore, STS Director General Eng. Ionel-Sorin Balan mentioned that the project demonstrates concretely that technology, when used efficiently and responsibly, becomes a real support for the Romanian culture and for improving the quality of services offered to citizens.

'The ePatrimoniu platform will be hosted in our data centres, which meet strict security and availability requirements. Developing this platform is not limited to delivering a produc, it involves creating a complete digital ecosystem capable of managing large volumes of data, integrating advanced technologies and ensuring continuous service for a large number of users,' the STS director said.

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According to the Ministry of Culture, ePatrimoniu is a national digital platform that centralises information about Romania's movable, immovable and tangible cultural heritage, facilitating quick access to data and the provision of electronic public services for citizens, institutions and experts in the area. The platform represents a major step in the digitalisation of public cultural services and will be available at www.epatrimoniu.ro website.

The eligible value of the project is 122,807,086.18 lei, approximately 24.68 million euros, the project being co-financed by the European Union through the 2021-2027 Smart Growth, Digitalisation and Financial Instruments Programme, Action 2.2 'E-Government and Digitalisation for the Benefit of Citizens,' Measure 2.2.3 'Digitalisation in culture.'

The ePatrimoniu project will be implemented by the Ministry of Culture through the UMP, in partnership with the STS, over a period of 36 months, as of in May 2025.

ePatrimoniu will integrate all existing databases in the area of cultural heritage and will allow their interconnection with national and European systems.

The implementation of ePatrimoniu will bring numerous benefits, including: quick access to information anywhere and anytime, reduced bureaucracy and administrative costs, digital services for approvals, authorisations and accreditations, complex analyses and better-informed decisions, interoperability with other public systems, enriched digital content (storytelling).

It is estimated that over 65,000 users will benefit from the platform's applications and services. AGERPRES(RO - writing by: Daniel Popescu; EN - writing by: Rodica State)