Preserving the Unseen: Innovative Approaches to Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Expressions Through Immersive Technologies

Through this study, the effectiveness of omnipresent VR technology from the standpoint of both increasing user engagement and preserving the timeless heritage of traditional bridge-diving at Stari Most in Mostar, Bosnia, is scrutinized with one of its forms of expression as a case scenario. The study looks at the impact of 360 VR videos on user immersion depth of absorption compared to traditional desktop media. This project aims to study the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) in exhibiting cultural heritage and simultaneously bridging the knowledge gap and entertainment demand via the same media. This will be done by intermingling engaging digital storytelling and utilizing 3D replica places. The participants explored the Stari Most and Desert cosmos cultural environment and history on the VR and desktop platforms. This was followed by a multiple-choice quiz with some open questions to find their degree of understanding and involvement. Subjective reports and statistical data show that using virtual reality (VR) in the digital media environment increases user engagement by 40\%. The VR environment was remarkably more regulated and stretched in expectation, as revealed through the improved performance ability by 35 \% compared to other traditional approaches. The results demonstrate that virtual reality (VR) facilitates the illustration of ICH suitably and interestingly, not only through the simulation of intriguing images and video presentations. Furthermore, VR fully engages the users who identify with the culture of the past by bearing in mind the significant practices and awe-inspiring circumstances. The study underlines VR s prohibitive power as a key player in cultural protection, considering it as a fundamental pillar for the preservation architectures of the future.