ETHOS – Ethical AI, Transcultural Understanding, and Heritage Stewardship

ETHOS is a pioneering educational initiative launched by the Hungarian National Commission for UNESCO that empowers young people to explore and reinterpret UNESCO World Heritage and other designations through ethically grounded, culturally sensitive, and AI-enhanced learning methods. It is an emerging initiative developed under the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (1972) and aligned with the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (1972). The platform empowers young people, educators, communities, and cultural professionals to engage with UNESCO-designated sites through ethically grounded, culturally sensitive, and creatively participatory approaches.

Combining AI-supported storytelling, transcultural dialogue, and hands-on interpretation, ETHOS fosters inclusive and meaningful connections to heritage while promoting digital literacy, ethical reflection, and intercultural understanding. The initiative gives special attention to the voices of youth, Indigenous communities, and underrepresented groups, encouraging locally rooted yet globally resonant narratives.

Launched through the AI with UNESCO Challenge in Hungary and co-developed with international partners, ETHOS offers an open, evolving platform where co-creation, education, and cultural sustainability converge.

ETHOS is not only about interpreting heritage—it's about co-shaping the future with care, creativity, and ethical intelligence.

Developed within the SOPHIA ecosystem, ETHOS introduces students and teachers to a unique co-creation platform that blends digital storytelling, value-based inquiry, and ethical prompting. It equips youth to become active interpreters of heritage while engaging in intercultural dialogue and collaborative knowledge creation.

ETHOS integrates the BluePrompt and GreenPrompt methodologies:

  • BluePrompt encourages AI to support dignity, memory, empathy, and peace.
  • GreenPrompt aligns digital creativity with ecological awareness, sustainability, and care for living heritage.

The ETHOS platform will be officially launched at a side event of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris on 12 July 2025. The side event has brought together students and professionals from Hungary, Kenya, Nigeria, Paraguay, and Hong Kong to co-create an intercultural, youth-built generative database using site-specific prompts, local narratives, and AI companions rooted in cultural identity.

ETHOS aims to:

  • Present a replicable model for national and local educational strategies
  • Encourage participatory use of AI in cultural and heritage contexts
  • Foster empathy and ethical reflection through transcultural exchange
  • Create a shared digital memory space that honours both tangible and intangible heritage

As a living platform, ETHOS is designed to evolve through partnerships with World Heritage Sites, Associated Schools, Indigenous communities, and National Commissions globally—building bridges between generations, cultures, and technologies.

To access the prototype, test version of the platform, click www.tolmapsophia.org