How do we measure the real impact of immersive experiences in difficult heritage contexts without turning trauma into spectacle?
HERIFORGE was invited to contribute to this important international conversation through the participation of Associate Professor Georgios Artopoulos from The Cyprus Institute, at the Evaluating Difficult Heritage XR workshop, co-organized by CREATe and University of Glasgow, College of Arts & Humanities Digital Cultural Heritage Lab, with Rozhen Kamal Mohammed-Amin at the Cultural Heritage Organization in Iraqi Kurdistan. Dr Artopoulos delivered a presentation showcasing the Institute’s work on immersive technologies for cultural heritage. His talk highlighted how XR can support heritage interpretation, foster social resilience, and encourage more inclusive engagement with cultural heritage through research driven digital innovation.
Bringing together researchers, museum professionals, and cultural heritage practitioners from 34 countries, the workshop explored approaches to evaluating XR experiences beyond technical performance, considering ethics, community participation, long-term impact, and responsible innovation. By engaging with interdisciplinary discussions such as these, HERIFORGE contributes to shaping approaches that are inclusive, collaborative, and responsive to the needs of both heritage professionals and communities. Knowledge exchange and international collaboration are essential to ensuring that immersive technologies are developed responsibly and create meaningful value for cultural heritage