History
Ce.Di.Pa. was established on January 23, 2023, as an initiative of the University of Perugia in collaboration with the University of L’Aquila, Marche Polytechnic University, and the University of Teramo. The Center was funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan – Complementary Fund, Unified Intervention Program for the Earthquake-Affected Areas of 2009 and 2016, Measure B, Sub-measure B.4: Research Centers for Innovation.
The research center is based in Spoleto, a region in central Italy that is among the most fragile and vulnerable to seismic activity. The 2016–2017 Central Italy earthquake was just the latest in a long history of catastrophic earthquakes that have struck this area, causing severe damage in Spoleto and the Valnerina, its natural geographical extension deep within the Apennines. Beyond the material destruction, the earthquake also inflicted deep wounds on the region’s economic and social fabric—leading to the departure of many residents, despite the well-known resilience of these communities, and causing devastation to the cultural heritage, much of which remains fragmented to accommodate urgent restoration efforts.
Mission
In alignment with Mission 1: Digitalization, Innovation, Competitiveness, Culture, and Tourism of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (P.N.R.R.), Ce.Di.Pa. aims to:
- Enhance the attractiveness of Italy’s cultural and tourism sector by modernizing both tangible and intangible infrastructure related to historical heritage.
- Improve access to culture and tourism through digital innovations and initiatives aimed at removing physical and cognitive barriers to heritage sites.
- Strengthen seismic safety and heritage preservation, ensuring the protection of places of worship and the safeguarding of artworks affected by natural disasters.
- Support the green and digital transition in the tourism and cultural sectors.