CHEDAR project at Expo 2025 Osaka: Mediterranean Heritage in the Digital Era

On August 30, 2025, at the Italy Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka, the project CHEDAR – Cultural Heritage Digitalisation and Reconstruction will be officially presented. Coordinated by the University of Florence with the support of the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research, CHEDAR was launched under the Legacy Expo 2020 Dubai program.

CHEDAR brings together universities, research centers, AFAM institutions, heritage agencies, and international partners such as ICOMOS Italy and CIPA Heritage Documentation. At the heart of the initiative is the establishment of a Research and Higher Education and Training Center dedicated to the digitalization, regeneration, and safeguarding of cultural heritage, with a special focus on the wider Mediterranean area where fragility and richness coexist.

By combining the humanities with advanced technologies, CHEDAR develops replicable models and tools to document, protect, and transmit cultural heritage. Among the technologies employed are 3D surveying and scanning, predictive risk models, advanced diagnostics, environmental monitoring systems, Heritage Digital Twins, artificial intelligence, and accessibility solutions.

Following the resounding success of the 1:1 scale digital and physical replica of Michelangelo’s David at Expo 2020 Duba – an icon of the alliance between art, science, and technology – CHEDAR now arrives at Expo 2025 Osaka, where it will showcase its work under the theme: Mediterranean Heritage in the Digital Era: Facing Risks and Building Sustainability.

The event

The program will feature two thematic panels and five immersive workshops, designed to demonstrate how digitalization can become a driver of knowledge, protection, and intercultural dialogue.

Panel 1 | Reimagining Heritage
A discussion on creativity in museums, digital reproduction, and cultural accessibility, with contributions from universities, research institutes, and creative industries.
Panel 2 | (Un)Faithful Twins
A reflection on how digital twins and mobile diagnostic technologies can support risk mitigation strategies in museums and territories facing climate change and conflicts.
Immersive Workshops
1. Heritage Explorers – A playful journey for children into Mediterranean heritage.
2. Capture It, Print It – From scanning to 3D printing.
3. Brancacci Point of View – An XR exploration of Masaccio and Masolino’s frescoes.
4. Digitally Reviving the Grotta degli Animali – A virtual re-creation enhanced with real-time environmental data.
5. Mediterranean Depths – Discovering underwater heritage through photogrammetry and immersive storytelling.

The role of CNR ISPC

The CNR ISPC is one of the main partners of CHEDAR and will take part in Osaka with its researchers contributing to the scheduled panels and workshops. CNR ISPC brings an interdisciplinary approach that combines scientific research, digital technologies, and the humanities to document, preserve, and above all enhance and communicate cultural heritage.

Participation in Expo 2025 Osaka offers the opportunity to present CNR ISPC’s activities at an international level in the fields of diagnostics, 3D digitization, and virtual reconstructions, alongside the experimentation of new forms of digital access to heritage and the Institute’s ongoing commitment to advanced training and the development of new professional skills.

Expo 2025 Osaka represents a strategic milestone in CHEDAR’s journey. The initiative will continue on to Expo 2030 Riyadh, weaving together exhibitions, academies, laboratories, and local initiatives. This marks the first time that the scientific legacy of a World Expo has been consolidated into such a lasting and multifaceted form.

For more information

CHEDAR website →
CHEDAR at EXPO 2025 Osaka →
CHEDAR project and CNR ISPC →