The geography and society of Dersim, which has been home to many civilizations and cultures, have always been exposed to various threats. Today, the tangible cultural assets (movable and immovable) are at great risk due to natural disasters, climate change and man-made damage. The intangible cultural values such as language, beliefs, traditions, music and rituals are in danger of extinction, also favored by assimilation policies.
By digitizing and transferring the tangible and intangible cultural assets of Dersim to the virtual environment, we intend to
- To preserve these assets and enable the restoration of the originals based on the digital images generated;
- To help the members of the society in Dersim and outside of Dersim to recognize and appreciate their own cultural identity by exhibiting the cultural heritage of Dersim in the virtual environment;
- To contribute to the formation of a sense of social belonging;
- To create a culture of remembrance center for people from this region in the diaspora to keep their links with their culture of origin alive;
- To make Dersim’s cultural heritage visible on the international stage and to facilitate communication between different cultures;
- To enable historians, archaeologists and other researchers to explore Dersim’s cultural heritage more comprehensively using the digital records made available.