KEY POINTS
The Vatican Library, the library of the Holy See, located in Vatican City, has partnered with Japanese technology company NTT Data to launch a Web3 project that uses non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to incentivize user support.
This collaboration builds upon a long-standing partnership between the two entities. Since 2014, NTT Data has been working on “AMLAD,” a digital archiving solution for the Vatican Library’s vast collection. AMLAD aims to digitize over 2 million cultural assets, including books, manuscripts, coins, and medals, ensuring their preservation for future generations.
The Web3 project expands on this digitization effort by introducing NFTs as a reward system. Users can earn NFTs by either registering on the project’s website or making donations.
There are two tiers of NFTs: Silver and Gold. Registering for the project grants a Silver NFT, which unlocks access to high-resolution images of 15 ancient manuscripts.
Gold NFTs, awarded to financial donors, provide holders with access to high-resolution images of 21 manuscripts alongside exclusive content from the digital archive.
The NFTs are minted on the Polygon blockchain and are non-transferable.
This initiative marks another innovative application of Web3 technology for cultural preservation and supporter engagement. It follows similar projects, such as the Future Now Project in Tuvalu, which leverages the metaverse to safeguard the Pacific nation’s cultural heritage in the face of climate change threats.
