Public Participation in Developing a Common Framework for the Assessment and Management of Sustainable Innovation

Related sector

• J - Information and communication
• P - Education
• R - Arts, entertainment and recreation

SI Lead organisation

Archivo Judío de Chile - Civil society ( Community / Social enterprise )

https://archivojudio.cl/

SI Scope

Link to H2020 SI Priorities

• Solutions for cultural heritage assets
• Strategic intelligence and citizens’ participation
• ICT systems improving resource efficiency
• Biodiversity examination and understanding
• Resource efficient sustainable lifestyles

SI Type

• Social (incl. behavioural) - The initiative focuses on social and cultural transformation by changing the way a community perceives, values, and engages with its own historical memory and heritage.

• Service / Process - The Jewish Archive of Chile implements a Service / Process innovation by transforming and optimizing the methods by which historical information is managed and delivered to the public.
• Organisational / Business model - The initiative is classified as an Organisational / Business model innovation because its very existence and operation represent a novel way of managing a common good (heritage) within the context of civil society.

SI Objectives

• Preserve the documentary heritage of the Jewish community in Chile for the long term, ensuring the physical and digital safety of its collections.
• Facilitate open and accessible research by cataloging, digitizing, and making primary historical sources available to researchers, academics, and the general public worldwide.
• Strengthen cultural identity and education by using the archives to teach the history of Jewish immigration (including the Sefardic community) and its contribution to Chilean society.
• Promote the AJCL’s institutional recognition as a central repository for communal memory (e.g., through its declaration as a National Historical Monument).
• Actively collect and integrate new historical materials (documents, photographs, oral histories) donated by individuals and organizations to continuously enrich the archive’s collection.

• Foster international collaboration with other Jewish archives, museums, and research centers worldwide (especially in Spain, Portugal, and the Ottoman successor states) to share resources and research findings.
• Generate original academic research and publications based on the primary sources held by the archive, thereby contributing new knowledge to the fields of Chilean and Jewish history.
• Engage the community through cultural events such as exhibitions, lectures, and workshops to actively bring the archive’s history to life and promote dialogue with the broader Chilean society.
• Influence public policy and memory laws by contributing to national discussions on cultural heritage and the role of minority histories in the national narrative.
• Secure sustainable funding streams (beyond basic operational costs) through private donations, grants, and institutional partnerships to ensure the continuous modernization of its technological infrastructure and collection management.

SI Factors of success

• Technological - Success fundamentally depends on the ability to effectively digitize, store, catalog, and provide secure remote access to fragile historical documents. The use of ICT systems is the core method of preservation and dissemination.
• Political - The initiative’s impact was significantly amplified by its official declaration as a National Historical Monument in 2022. This government recognition provides legal protection, institutional status, and access to certain funding/collaboration opportunities.
• Social - The archive is a community-driven initiative. Its success relies heavily on the active participation, trust, and donation of materials from the Chilean Jewish community (the source of the documents) and the demand from the public/researchers for access to this history.
• Ethical - Success is contingent upon maintaining the trust of the community and handling sensitive materials with integrity, ensuring ethical standards for privacy, access, and historical accuracy in the representation of minority narratives.

Sources

• Primary - Primary sources include the original documents, photographs, and historical artifacts housed within the AJCL itself. They also include internal organizational records such as founding documents, official administrative minutes, conservation policies, and internal technical reports detailing the digitalization process.
• Secondary - Secondary sources include academic research articles, theses, and books published by researchers who have used the AJCL’s collection; in-depth journalistic reports or documentaries about the archive; and speeches or formal presentations given by the archive’s leadership at conferences.
• Tertiary - Tertiary sources include the AJCL’s own public website, online catalog interfaces, general institutional fact sheets, listings on international heritage platforms (like Google Arts & Culture), and general press releases or news summaries.