NORIA - Associazione per la difesa e promozione della cultura locale, nazionale ed europea

As a private, chartered and non-profit organisation, NORIA is a cultural association devoted to culture and identities in relation to modern digital technology. The association promotes and supports the idea that culture, cultural identities and cultural heritage should be considered and protected as a critical infrastructure. ‘Critical infrastructure’ means an asset, system or part which is essential for the maintenance of vital societal functions, health, safety, security, economic or social well-being of people. The cultural infrastructure entails culture and cultural heritage, both tangible (manufacts, art objects, monuments) and intangible (individual and collective memories, tradition, narratives). The cultural infrastructure ensures community identity, cohesion and resilience as the IT infrastructure. Threatening the cultural infrastructure means threatening the very existence of a community and would have a significant impact on people life and well-being. NORIA aims at raising awareness about this concept of cultural infrastructure among scholars, citizens, and policy makers. The association supports and promotes: the protection of the cultural heritage at local, regional, national, European levels — studies and research at all levels on different topics (ethical and cultural aspects of identities and identification practices; cultural identities, collective memories, traditions and collective imaginary; cultural identities as an effective tool to encourage social inclusion and integration; cultural identities as an effective tool to contrast cultural homogenisation and to prevent major socio-psychological disturbances including social stigma, anomia, marginalization and their long-term consequences). NORIA is member of the Friuli Philological Society and of the Italian Society for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. [Read more about NORIA]