World’s First Digital Portal in Vilnius and Lublin Spurred Global Cities Network
One of the hit projects of the year, the tech-art sculpture “pOrtal” built in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Lublin, Poland, allows citizens and visitors to watch each other live, setting an example for other countries. The organisers of the sculpture, aimed at helping to deal with pandemic isolation, have already received many inquiries from different cities and organisations, and are planning to build more “pOrtals” world-wide to create an intercultural #pOrtalcities Network.
July 22, 2021. World’s first teleportation device and a futuristic tech-art sculpture in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Lublin, Poland, has inspired other countries, from Australia to the U.S., to follow suit. A large number of organisations, governments, cultural and sports institutions, businesses, and academic societies from cities, such as New York, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai, Taipei, Melbourne, and others has already reached out to the team of the project to discuss potential partnerships on the “pOrtal.”
The first “pOrtal,” currently installed next to Vilnius Train Station and Lublin’s central square, allows the passers-by of the two cities to watch each other in real time with the help of a screen, cameras, and the Internet. The original sculpture was initiated by Benediktas Gylys, an active angel-investor, the author of a best-selling book about the basics of virtual business, and the President of the Benediktas Gylys Foundation, which promotes science, entrepreneurship, and tolerance.
Following the success of the project, the “pOrtal” team, which made it possible for people to deal with the pandemic isolation by offering an opportunity for different nationalities to come together without any restrictions, wants to involve even more cultures into the global network of #pOrtalcities. The organisers are planning to build two other “pOrtals” in the near future, leading up to a total of ten “pOrtals” globally in a few years.
“It’s inspiring how our “pOrtal” has affected millions of people around the world. We are really moved by the requests to collaborate and messages congratulating the “pOrtal” idea,” said Gylys. “The past month introduced us to some amazing people and their enthusiasm inspires us to keep up the work in building the #pOrtalcities Network and spreading the message of unity.”
According to Gylys, the idea for the “pOrtal” was prompted by the need to overcome a variety of global issues.
“Social and cultural differences, lack of empathy, and narrow perception of the world are creating deadly challenges for humanity. That’s why we wanted to build an international tech-art sculpture—a bridge, which would symbolize rising above the prejudices, the illusion of separation, and disagreements,” he added.
As a symbol of intercultural unity, currently the first “pOrtal” sculpture in Vilnius and Lublin has also become a strategic place for international events. Several public functions, such as fire artists’ show, a World Refugee Day commemoration to support Belarus, historical meeting of medieval knights, skaters’ meeting-contest, and illusionists’ meeting have already taken place at the sculpture. The organisers are also planning to host other international events, such as Ecology Happening, and facilitate traveling simply by standing in front of the “pOrtal.”
Partnerships in the Network cities will also serve a charitable purpose, letting the “pOrtal” team to collect funds later to be used to build the sculpture in other cities, which have difficulties to join the partnership. The organisers are open to offers of potential partnerships to be forwarded at [email protected].
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