Sometimes the most interesting things start… as a joke.
That’s exactly what happened with our participation in the Open Forum: Digitalization and Innovation for Cultural Heritage. We applied without high expectations - after all, we aren’t the typical experts in this field. But when we found out we’d been selected among 40 speakers from countries like Italy, Belgium, Spain, France, UK, Serbia and Estonia, we realized something truly special was in store for us.
The forum, organized by the Buzludzha Project Foundation, brings together people who are thinking about the future of cultural heritage - how we preserve it, how we tell its story and how we make it more accessible through technology.
Two Days, 6 Panels and Plenty of Food for Thought
The event took place over two days filled with lectures, demonstrations and discussions, organized into six thematic panels that explored various aspects of the relationship between heritage and innovation.
Day 1 - April 16
- Panel 1: Digital Twin of Buzludzha - Premiere demonstration of the monument’s digital twin, along with stories about its creation and future
- Panel 2: Innovative Communication Approaches - Topics such as how to reframe monuments, how to communicate complex historical narratives and how to reach new audiences
- Panel 3: Digital Experiences - Examples from various museums and sites that use technologies such as 3D mapping and interactive approaches to create a more engaging experience
Day 2 - April 17
- Panel 4: Innovative Conservation Methods - Real-life examples of revitalizing and showcasing cultural sites
- Panel 5: Digital Urban Storytelling - The panel we participated in, along with Beotura, #soSofia and The Face of Sofia
- Panel 6: Digital Registers and Maps - Topics such as mapping cultural heritage, digital archives and global conservation initiatives
In addition to all this, there were introductory lectures, panel discussions and a workshop, which provided an even broader perspective on the topic.
17 Minutes during which We Didn’t Look for Answers, but Asked Questions
As part of Panel 5: Digital Urban Storytelling, we gave a presentation titled “Ancient Plovdiv and the City Games as a Contemporary Gateway to Heritage.”
We were given exactly 17 minutes - neither a short pitch nor a long lecture, as we’ve been accustomed to so far. This presented us with an interesting choice: what to say and what to leave out intentionally?
We decided not to be exhaustive. Instead, we told:
- how the idea of creating urban quest games began
- how it makes us see the city through different eyes
- how curiosity becomes a driving force for exploring the places around us
And most importantly, we raised the question we often ask ourselves: “How to turn spectators back to explorers?”
Reactions: When Someone Stops to Think about it - It all Makes Sense
After the presentation, we received a lot of positive feedback. People told us they could tell how well we work as a team, that they liked the way we “passed the ball” to one another and that it made them think about how to look at their own work from a different perspective.
That was the most valuable part for us - not just explaining what we do, but inspiring the other speakers and the audience to take something away for themselves.
Encounters that Last A Lifetime
The forum was much more than just a presentation. For us, it was:
- a chance to meet inspiring people from all over Europe
- an opportunity to hear different perspectives
- a space where ideas, experience and energy came together
Being part of a program featuring over 30 lectures and such a wide variety of projects gave us a new perspective - both on what we do and on the direction in which we want to grow.
A Gratitude We Simply Cannot Overlook
We would like to once again extend our special thanks to arch. Dora Ivanova and the entire team of the Buzludzha Project Foundation for the invitation and their trust.
For us, being part of this forum was not merely a matter of participation, but a recognition that urban quest games can be viewed as a serious tool for working with cultural heritage.
What Happens Next?
After this forum, we have an even clearer mission. We want:
- to continue to grow and stay informed on topics related to cultural heritage
- to use our games as a tool for promotion and preservation
- to create experiences that combine fun and education
We believe that urban quest games can be much more than just entertainment. They can serve as a bridge between the past and the present, between knowledge and experience and, last but not least, between the city and the people who live there.
If there is one thing we wanted to leave behind after our lecture at this forum, it is that curiosity is at the heart of everything and if we can spark it in people - even if only briefly, even within the context of a single game - then we are on the right track.
