exploring the future of heritage through a digital lens

The Council of Europe, founded in 1949, is Europe’s leading human rights organisation, promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across its 46 member states. One of its most forward-thinking initiatives is the Cultural Routes programme, established in 1987 to demonstrate how the cultural heritage of different countries and peoples contributes to a shared and living European memory.

Cultural Routes are certified pathways that connect historic sites, traditions, and stories across borders — encouraging cultural exchange, sustainable tourism, and education. Today, there are over 45 certified Cultural Routes, from the Camino de Santiago to the European Route of Jewish Heritage. These routes highlight Europe’s diverse cultural fabric and offer innovative ways for people to engage with, appreciate, and help preserve heritage.

what is the Next Routes project?

The Next Routes Project is a collaborative initiative funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme. It brings together six selected Cultural Routes to explore how gamification and digital innovation can transform how people experience and interact with Europe’s rich cultural landscapes.

The project focuses on developing and testing digital tools such as mobile apps, training staff and partners on creative, innovative strategies, and collecting feedback from users to shape more engaging and accessible public experiences. By harnessing these digital solutions, the Next Routes Project seeks to make cultural heritage more dynamic, meaningful, and appealing — especially to younger audiences who increasingly engage with the world through interactive and gamified platforms.

The Together Plan’s role

As a proud member of the AEPJ (European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage) network, The Together Plan was honoured to be selected to represent the European Route of Jewish Heritage in this exciting EU-funded initiative.

The Together Plan is working alongside five other certified Cultural Routes:

• The Phoenician’s Route
• The Routes of the Olive Tree
• Mozart Ways
• ATRIUM: Architecture of Totalitarian Regimes in Europe’s Urban Memory
• Iron Age in the Danube Route

Together, these organisations are working in collaboration to help pioneer new ways to connect people to Europe’s cultural heritage using the power of technology and innovation.

Watch the film that introduces you to each of these stunning cultural routes – click here

kicking off in Sicily: training for a digital future

The first phase of the project took place at the end of 2024, when The Together Plan’s CEO Debra Brunner and Minsk office representative Sonya Shaipak attended a specialised training in Sicily.

Held in the historic settings of Selinunte and Marsala, the training marked the start of efforts to upskill staff in digital tools, gamification techniques, and creative strategies to make cultural heritage more accessible and engaging.

Led by expert educators from Breda University in the Netherlands, the training covered a range of topics, including best practices in cultural heritage management, innovative marketing approaches, and the use of digital platforms to strengthen public engagement.

Participants also had the opportunity to test a prototype app at several sites along the Phoenician Heritage Route, gaining valuable insights into how digital innovations can reshape the public’s experience with cultural landmarks.

Click here to watch a short film of the team in action in Sicily.

leading the gaming lab in Minsk

The second phase of the project required each Cultural Route representative to design and run a gaming lab in their respective countries focusing on the cultural heritage of their respective routes; hands-on sessions where participants tested the app and provided feedback to help guide the next phase of development.

After returning to Minsk, Sonya Shaipak led the design of new app assets tailored to the Jewish cultural heritage of Minsk. She then organised a gaming lab, bringing together a group of invited participants who tested the app, shared their feedback, and helped gather crucial user data.

This was Sonya’s first major leadership project, and she rose to the challenge with great success, making an important contribution to The Together Plan’s growing role on the European stage.

amplifying Belarus’s Jewish heritage

This project is doing more than testing new technology. It is helping to promote The Together Plan’s work at a European level, raise awareness of the European Route of Jewish Heritage, and spark local engagement with Jewish heritage in Belarus. The gaming lab in Minsk brought people together around the stories, history, and legacy of Belarusian Jewish life, encouraging community conversations and interest in the country’s rich, often underexplored, cultural landscape

looking ahead: is the future digital?

Will gamification and innovative digital strategies help draw more people into the fascinating world of cultural heritage? This is a question The Together Plan is eager to explore.

As emphasised by the Faro Convention — the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society — cultural heritage plays a vital role in fostering dialogue, cooperation, and participation. By adapting heritage initiatives to meet the needs of society and support human progress and quality of life, we can unlock the full potential of heritage as both an asset and a source of individual and collective memory.

continuing the journey

Through the Next Routes Project, The Together Plan is committed to exploring how digital tools can help create meaningful, lasting connections to Europe’s shared cultural heritage.

We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the AEPJ and the other Cultural Routes as we navigate this transformative journey in 2025 and beyond.

Thank you to everyone who supports our work. Together, we are building innovative bridges between past, present, and future — and opening new doors to the preservation and celebration of Jewish heritage. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to explore and innovate.

For more information please get in touch: [email protected]