Immersive Technologies and Digital Heritage Valorization: Modeling, User Experience, and Cultural Mediation

The first edition of the International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Immersive Technologies and Heritage Valorization: Perspectives and Innovations (TIVP 2025, 8-10 May 2025, IHEC of Sfax, University of Sfax, Tunisia) explored the transformative potential of immersive technologies in the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), particularly within the domain of Cultural Heritage (CH). The conference united researchers, practitioners, artists, and innovators from diverse fields-including the humanities, visual arts, cinema, music, architecture, economics, and engineering-to investigate how Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and related technologies are revolutionizing the way in which creators and audiences experience, preserve, and communicate CH. The overarching goal of the meeting is to address the intersection of digital heritage, user experience design, and creative industries through multidisciplinary perspectives on theoretical and practical applications of immersive technologies. In addition to insights generated from diverse perspectives, this gathering also emphasizes the community-driven nature of CH projects as well as practical challenges, highlighting approaches that ensure digital solutions are inclusive, accessible, relevant to diverse populations, and environmentally and economically sustainable.