The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a symposium titled “Digitization of Cultural Heritage: Empowering Heritage through Artificial Intelligence and Immersive Technologies”, in partnership with the Moroccan School of Engineering Sciences (EMSI), Cadi Ayyad University, and the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Culture in Marrakech. The Event marked the conclusion of the “Digital Twinning” project, launched by ICESCO as part of the celebration of Marrakech as the Capital of Culture in the Islamic World for 2024. The aim of the project is to harness smart technologies to protect and promote cultural heritage.

The Symposium, held on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Cadi Ayyad University, featured interactive extended reality (XR) experiences and live demonstrations of 3D virtual replicas. These showcased the outcomes of the “Digital Twinning” project, particularly in three prominent heritage sites in Marrakech: El Badi Palace, Jemaa el-Fna Square, and the Koutoubia Minaret. The Event offered participants a hands-on experience of the future of cultural heritage preservation.

In a pre-recorded speech presented during the opening of the symposium, Dr. Raheel Qamar, Head of the Science and Environment Sector at ICESCO, emphasized the transformational potential of artificial intelligence, extended reality (XR), and digital twin technology for the future of cultural heritage protection. He stated that the project will be implemented in future celebrations of cultural capitals in the Islamic world.

Dr. Adel Smeda, an expert in the Science and Environment Sector at ICESCO, presented the opportunities and challenges related to the use of digital technology in the preservation and enhancement of heritage. He explained that digital twin tools and immersive technologies provide unprecedented means to protect both tangible and intangible heritage. He also noted that ICESCO is working to generalize the use of technology for heritage protection by providing technical support and implementing capacity-building programs for its Member States.

The “Digital Twin” is a virtual reality technology that creates accurate digital replicas of real-world entities, whether tangible or intangible—such as visual or musical arts—using artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT).