SITEnetwork Joins UN Citiverse Programme
to Help Build Inclusive, Resilient and Immersive Cities
07/01/2025
SITEnetwork is proud to announce its participation in the United Nations' cutting-edge Citiverse Programme, a global initiative exploring how virtual worlds and immersive technologies can help reshape the future of cities. As a member of a multidisciplinary working group, we are contributing to the creation of actionable policy recommendations for the use of AR, VR, AI, and digital twins across key urban sectors including:
- Urban planning and infrastructure
- City administration and public participation
- Economic development, education and tourism
- Transport and mobility
- Public safety, health and disaster resilience
This collaboration supports our mission to deploy immersive technologies that make cities more accessible, economically resilient, and environmentally sustainable. It builds directly on our work across Scotland and Latin America, where we’ve used virtual twins to bring new economic opportunities to communities through tourism, education, and e-commerce.
SITEnetwork sees virtual tourism not just as a tool for marketing destinations, but as a catalyst for systemic change. By creating photorealistic digital twins of real-world locations, we empower cities and communities to manage both physical and digital space. These immersive models allow destinations to redistribute tourism, promote local commerce, engage residents in storytelling, and support sustainable development—while reducing strain on physical infrastructure and the environment.
Our dual-reality platform allows communities to generate new revenue streams through:
- SaaS subscriptions and memberships
- Digital asset and merchandise sales
- Smart tourism services
- AI-guided historical avatars
- Tokenised souvenirs and blockchain-based transactions
We are already seeing real-world impact:
- SDG 8: Economic Growth and Resilience: New employment and upskilling opportunities, especially in digital content, 3D modelling, XR development, and cultural heritage management.
- SDG 4: Quality Education: Immersive, place-based learning experiences delivered in partnership with institutions like Abertay University, University of Malaga, and the Fraunhofer Institute.
- SDGs 13, 14, 15: Environmental Sustainability: By reducing the need for physical travel and easing pressure on over-visited sites, virtual twins help cities cut emissions and protect biodiversity.
The Citiverse Programme offers an exciting opportunity to take these impacts to the next level—scaling immersive city platforms globally. We are working alongside experts such as Fabio Carbone, Scott Dickson, Carlos Sousa and the team lead Andreia Rosa Collard, with the invaluable support of Louisa Barker. Together, we’re identifying best practices, use cases, and risks in the integration of virtual worlds into smart city strategies.
SITEnetwork’s involvement in this programme reinforces our broader commitment to rebalancing tourism, empowering communities, and future-proofing urban spaces through ethical, inclusive, and transformative technologies.
Stay tuned as we help shape the future of digital cities—and if your community, institution, or destination would like to join us on this journey, we invite you to reach out.