Tool/methodology name:

The "Soundscapes as Cultural Heritage" initiative is a pioneering approach within the PEAKED project, focusing on the capture, documentation, and preservation of soundscapes in mountain regions. Soundscapes—the ambient sounds and auditory environments of specific places—are powerful elements of intangible cultural heritage that reflect the cultural, historical, and environmental context of a region. This methodology leverages modern Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), including mobile devices and crowdsourcing platforms, to engage communities in the active preservation of their local sound environments.

Building on the principles of ecomusicology, which explores the interconnections between music, nature, and culture, this initiative aims to document soundscapes as living cultural artifacts. By employing Mobile Journalism (MoJo) techniques, participants use their smartphones to record and share these soundscapes, ensuring a wide range of environmental sounds are captured. This approach not only preserves these auditory environments for future generations but also provides a new way to understand and engage with cultural heritage.

Moreover, this methodology supports the broader goals of the PEAKED project by integrating environmental awareness and climate change adaptation into the study of cultural heritage. The sounds of wildlife, weather patterns, and ecosystems captured through this initiative offer valuable insights into the state of the natural environment, contributing to the ongoing monitoring of environmental changes in mountain areas. This innovative combination of cultural preservation and environmental monitoring makes "Soundscapes as Cultural Heritage" a vital component of the PEAKED project, aligning with its mission to promote resilience and sustainability in mountain regions through community engagement and education.

The Center for Global Soundscapes: Located in the United States, this project aims to preserve Earth's natural acoustic heritage by capturing and analyzing soundscapes from various environments around the world. The Center engages in interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach activities, focusing on how soundscapes can provide insights into biodiversity, urban planning, and the impacts of climate change. Their "Record the Earth" initiative invites global participation, allowing individuals to contribute recordings of their local soundscapes, which are then analyzed and archived for educational and research purposes​. https://centerforglobalsoundscapes.org/

• Teachers, Trainers, and Educators
• Youth Workers
• Youth:
• Students and Trainees
• Decision-makers and Public Body Representatives
• Stakeholders on Climate Change Adaptation resilience strategies.

Strengthen the Connection Between Soundscapes and Cultural Heritage in Mountain Areas: Educate participants on how soundscapes serve as a vital element of cultural heritage, reflecting the unique cultural, historical, and environmental identities of mountain regions. This objective aligns with PEAKED’s mission to preserve and promote cultural and environmental sustainability in these areas.

Equip Participants with Skills for Capturing and Preserving Soundscapes: Provide hands-on training in recording and documenting soundscapes using mobile devices and participatory methods, empowering participants to actively contribute to the preservation of their region’s auditory heritage, in line with the participatory approach emphasized in PEAKED.

Foster Community Involvement in Cultural and Environmental Preservation: Encourage participants to engage local communities in the soundscape documentation process, using crowdsourcing platforms to create a comprehensive archive that reflects the auditory diversity of mountain areas. This supports PEAKED’s goal of involving communities in sustainable cultural practices.

Integrate Environmental Awareness with Cultural Heritage Efforts: Highlight the interplay between soundscapes and environmental changes, particularly those caused by climate change, and explore how this understanding can inform both cultural preservation and environmental adaptation strategies within the PEAKED framework.

Methodology:

The workshop on "Soundscapes as Cultural Heritage" employs a participatory and experiential learning approach, leveraging the principles of ecomusicology and crowdsourcing. Participants will engage in hands-on activities that involve capturing, documenting, and analyzing soundscapes using mobile devices. The methodology is designed to blend theoretical knowledge with practical application, ensuring that participants not only understand the importance of soundscapes but also acquire the skills needed to preserve them.

The workshop is structured to encourage active participation and community involvement, reflecting the PEAKED project’s emphasis on collaborative and sustainable practices in mountain areas. By using crowdsourcing platforms and participatory sensing techniques, participants will contribute to a living archive of soundscapes that capture the cultural and environmental richness of their regions.

Theoretical Background:

The workshop is grounded in the interdisciplinary field of ecomusicology, which explores the relationships between music, nature, and culture. Ecomusicology examines how soundscapes—ambient sounds from natural and cultural environments—reflect the ecological and cultural contexts of a region. This theoretical framework is crucial for understanding how soundscapes can serve as a form of cultural heritage, preserving the auditory history of a place for future generations.

Additionally, the workshop draws on the principles of Mobile Journalism (MoJo), which involves the use of mobile devices to capture and share media content. This approach is adapted to focus on the recording of soundscapes, making the process accessible and engaging for a broad audience. By integrating these theoretical perspectives, the workshop aligns with the PEAKED project’s goals of promoting environmental education, sustainability, and resilience in mountain areas.

Activities:

Introduction to Soundscapes and Cultural Heritage: Participants will begin by exploring the concept of soundscapes and their role in preserving cultural heritage. This session will include discussions on the significance of soundscapes in capturing the cultural, historical, and environmental aspects of mountain regions.

Practical Training in Soundscape Documentation: Participants will receive hands-on training in using mobile devices and recording equipment to capture soundscapes. This session will cover techniques for ensuring high-quality recordings, the importance of metadata, and best practices for documenting auditory environments.

Community Engagement and Crowdsourcing: The workshop will include a session on engaging local communities in the soundscape documentation process. Participants will learn how to organize and run crowdsourcing campaigns, encouraging community members to contribute their own recordings to a shared archive. This activity supports the PEAKED project’s focus on community-driven cultural and environmental initiatives.

Analysis and Interpretation of Soundscapes: The final session will involve the analysis of the collected soundscapes using advanced tools and software. Participants will learn how to conduct a semantic analysis of soundscapes, exploring how these auditory environments reflect cultural and environmental changes, particularly in the context of climate change.

Local Level:

Enhanced Cultural Awareness: The workshop will foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the local soundscapes, enabling communities to recognize and value their auditory cultural heritage. This can lead to increased community pride and a stronger sense of identity.

Community Engagement: By involving local residents in the recording and preservation of soundscapes, the workshop promotes active participation in cultural preservation efforts, leading to stronger community bonds and a shared commitment to preserving local heritage.

Regional Level:

Regional Collaboration: The initiative will encourage collaboration among neighboring communities, sharing best practices and resources for documenting and preserving soundscapes. This can lead to the development of regional networks focused on cultural and environmental sustainability.

Tourism and Educational Opportunities: The documented soundscapes can be used to develop regional cultural tourism initiatives, attracting visitors interested in the unique auditory environments of the region. Additionally, these soundscapes can serve as educational tools for schools and universities.

National Level:

Integration into National Heritage Programs: The soundscapes collected through the workshop can be integrated into national cultural heritage programs, contributing to broader efforts to preserve intangible cultural assets. This can also inform national policies on cultural preservation and environmental sustainability.

Raising Awareness of Climate Change: By highlighting the connection between soundscapes and environmental changes, the workshop can raise national awareness of the impacts of climate change on cultural and natural heritage, potentially influencing policy and conservation efforts.

European Level:

Contribution to European Cultural Networks: The initiative supports the broader European agenda of preserving cultural diversity and heritage by contributing to pan-European cultural networks. The documented soundscapes can be shared across Europe, enriching the collective understanding of cultural and environmental heritage.

Supporting EU Climate and Cultural Goals: The project aligns with European Union goals for cultural preservation and environmental sustainability, contributing valuable data and insights that can support EU initiatives focused on climate adaptation and cultural heritage conservation.

Positive Impact:

• Cultural Preservation
• Empowerment of Communities
• Environmental Awareness
• Educational and Research Benefits

Ecomusicology Integrated with Mountain Cultural Heritage Preservation: The workshop innovatively applies ecomusicology principles to the preservation of mountain soundscapes, recognizing the unique relationship between the natural acoustic environment of mountains and the cultural heritage of the communities that inhabit these regions. This interdisciplinary approach highlights how the sounds of mountain landscapes—such as the rustling of trees, the flow of streams, and the calls of native wildlife—are integral to the cultural identity and historical narrative of mountain areas.

Community-Driven Crowdsourcing in Mountain Regions: Leveraging mobile journalism techniques and crowdsourcing platforms, this workshop empowers mountain communities to actively participate in documenting and preserving their unique soundscapes. This approach not only democratizes cultural preservation efforts in remote and often overlooked mountain regions but also fosters a living, evolving archive that reflects the authentic auditory heritage of these communities, preserving it for future generations.

Advanced ICT Application for Mountain Soundscapes: The workshop incorporates cutting-edge Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), such as mobile devices and cloud-based services, specifically tailored to the challenges and opportunities of preserving soundscapes in mountainous areas. This technological integration facilitates the collection, analysis, and preservation of soundscapes in a way that is accessible and sustainable, ensuring that the unique auditory environments of mountain regions are documented and safeguarded.

Linking Environmental Change with Mountain Cultural Preservation: The workshop emphasizes the connection between environmental changes in mountain areas—particularly those driven by climate change—and the preservation of cultural heritage. By documenting the soundscapes of mountain regions, which are highly sensitive to environmental shifts, the project not only preserves cultural history but also provides critical data for understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change on these fragile ecosystems. This dual focus on culture and environment is innovative within the context of the PEAKED project’s goals, ensuring that the cultural heritage of mountain areas is preserved alongside their natural heritage.