Digital Reconstructions of Wounded Memories in Kosovo

Between 1998 and 2004 numerous religious and cultural sites—Serbian Orthodox and Islamic— in Kosovo were systematically vandalised, damaged or destroyed. The annihilation of these historical-religious architectures highlighted the strategic significance of cultural heritage as a political tool. Two decades later we know the extent of the losses thanks to the documentation collected by UNESCO, the UN and the OSCE. We also have a new methodology that incorporates digital technologies such as 3D modelling, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, data technology, geographic information systems and virtual reality/AR, which we could draw on for safeguarding this religious heritage. In this article we wish to present a project proposal which, using some of the Digital Humanities (DH) methodologies applied in the field of religious studies (and in peace and conflict studies), can guarantee the accessibility and long-term diffusion of these sites and cultural content at risk.