NTT DATA and the Vatican Library launch in Italy the project awarding users with NFT, providing exclusive access to a special collection of the Library’s digitalized heritage

·      Italian users who share the project on their social channels or who support the Vatican Apostolic Library with a donation will receive a non-transferable NFT;

·      The project reaches Italy after experimentation in Japan, initiated in February last year;

·      The aim of the project is to extend the online community of the Vatican Apostolic Library through Web3/NFT technology, to preserve and promote cultural heritage.

Milan, 17 June 2024 – NTT DATA Italia, the Japanese multinational leader in the IT sector, and the Vatican Apostolic Library, have signed an agreement to extend to Italy the experimental “Vatican Library Web3 Support Project”, launched in Japan in February last year, with new content and functions. The project, started with the aim to extend the online community of the Vatican Apostolic Library by putting the cultural institution into contact with its supporters via Web3 technology, is now addressed to users in Italy, who will be able to support the Library in this way.

Until 16 July, Italian users who share the project on their social channels or support the Vatican Apostolic Library with a donation through the initiative’s website, will receive a non-transferable NFT as supporters. The NFT is used as a “key” to “open” and consult the special collection, which consists of high-resolution images of a selection of 21 manuscripts belonging to the Library’s collections.

Those who support the Library by sharing the project via their social channels will receive an “NFT Silver”, and will be able to view high-resolution images of 15 manuscripts on the website; those who instead support the project with a donation will receive an “NFT Gold”, and will thus be able to view all the high-resolution images in the selection. In future, the project may involve the presentation of new formats of digital content, such as, for example, the possibility of visiting spaces through immersive experiences in XR.

“As NTT DATA we have had the privilege of collaborating with the Vatican Apostolic Library since 2014, with a digitalization project that we can define as historic in scope. Even with this year's trial, aimed at Italy, our goal remains to make the priceless cultural heritage of the Vatican Library accessible, contributing with our technology to preserve it and make it accessible to its supporters. We will continue this important work of preserving and disseminating cultural heritage, aiming to connect institutions that hold valuable digital content with users around the world, extending the use of blockchain digital technology to other sectors such as education and entertainment", stated Ludovico Diaz, CEO of NTT DATA Italia.

“In continuity with the Prefect Emeritus and my predecessor, Msgr. Cesare Pasini, I believe that our heritage requires special attention and dedication geared towards preservation and promotion. The AMLAD digital archiving solution has contributed to the long-term preservation of this priceless heritage, without causing any damage to the precious materials from all over the world and representative of many eras and cultures. NTT DATA has played an important role in supporting the Vatican Library's mission to make its unique collections accessible to the public, regardless of origin, culture, religion, politics or ideology, while nurturing scientific research and development. The Library not only recognizes the value of the new communities NTT DATA is creating, but trusts that NTT DATA will undertake future initiatives by creating similar systems with various partners around the world. This is why we are pleased to participate in this joint project that leverages the technological opportunities characteristic of Web3”, said Don Mauro Mantovani, Prefect of the Vatican Library.

On NTT DATA

NTT DATA is a leading multinational consulting and IT services company with a turnover of more than $30 billion. We support 75 per cent of the companies on the Fortune Global 100 list of the world's largest companies and are constantly striving for our clients' success through innovation, optimization and digital transformation. We invest more than $3.6 billion each year in R&D to help organizations and companies be ready, sustainably, for the digital future. As a Global Top Employer company, we have a global presence in more than 50 countries and an international network of partner companies and start-ups. We provide, among others, business and technology consulting, data intelligence and artificial intelligence services, as well as the development, implementation and management of applications, infrastructure and connectivity. We are also one of the world's leading providers of digital infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence. NTT DATA is part of the NTT Group and is headquartered in Tokyo.

NTT DATA is present in Italy with over 6000 employees in Milan, Rome, Turin, Genoa, Bologna, Treviso, Pisa, Naples, Cosenza, Bari and Salerno.

On the Vatican Apostolic Library

The Vatican Apostolic Library is an ancient institution, a place of conservation and research belonging to the Pope and closely linked to the governance and ministry of the Apostolic See.

From the Scrinium, documented as early as the late fourth century, the Vatican Apostolic Library began its modern history with Nicholas V,  who around the mid 1400s decided to open the papal library collections to learned men (pro communi doctorum virorum commodo, Breve of 30 April 1451), and with Sixtus IV, who gave a more stable aspect to the organization of the Library with the Bull Ad decorum militantis ecclesiae of 15 June 1475.

Its extensive collections of manuscripts, archival material, ancient and modern printed volumes, coins and medals, prints and drawings, cartographic and photographic material have always been open to qualified scholars from all over the world without distinction of ethnicity, religion, origin or culture. The Library specializes in the fields of philology and history and, retrospectively, also theology, law and science.

Press Office contacts

Alessia Carpinelli Tricarico
Media Relations Manager - NTT DATA Italia alessia.carpinelli.tricarico@nttdata.com +39 3474353846 Eleonora Artese
Comin & Partners eleonora.artese@cominandpartners.com +39 3386596511

Vatican Apostolic Library contact

bav@vatlib.it + 39 06 69879411