About
Traditional methods of heritage valorisation often struggle to engage younger generations or effectively leverage digital tools, leaving the Adriatic region’s cultural offer vulnerable to seasonal fluctuations. The MEMORY ESCAPE project addresses this challenge by focusing on "dissonant heritage"—the complex, shared history of 20th-century totalitarian regimes in Italy and Croatia. A unilateral approach to such history would provide an incomplete narrative; therefore, cross-border cooperation is essential to ensure a balanced and unified perspective. The project develops a pioneering "phygital" (physical + digital) escape room model. This active, participatory experience transforms heritage sites into immersive learning environments where youth solve puzzles using both physical clues and digital layers via tablets. By integrating storytelling and gamification, the initiative moves beyond passive observation toward a critical understanding of history. Key outputs include a bi-national technical manual, a complete escape room solution, and a training package for youth game masters. Through cross-border pilot actions, MEMORY ESCAPE provides cultural institutions, tourism agencies, and NGOs with a replicable tool to diversify the cultural offer, fostering social inclusion and digital skills across the Adriatic.
