Minecraft Education brings students to St. Peter's Basilica with "Peter is Here"

Exploring St. Peter’s Basilica in the world of the video game Minecraft? Yes, it’s possible. The Minecraft Education platform, in collaboration with St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City and Microsoft, is launching Peter is Here, an initiative aimed at students around the world that offers a playful exploration and learning experience that combines technological innovation and religious tradition. Users will be able to relive the history of the Basilica, through a virtual tour spanning key events, and try their hand at various activities, including restoration, all thanks to AI-based tools that can be used in powerful and creative ways. Peter is Here, then, takes students on a discovery of the Basilica from both an architectural and historical perspective.

Microsoft Copilot was employed for this project to research and inform historical experiences within the game, while Microsoft Designer was used to conceptualize the game’s assets. Game mechanics are supported by Microsoft Visual Studio and GitHub Copilot, while Microsoft Copilot and Azure OpenAI GPT-4.0 were employed to adapt content for all age groups and accessibility.

Catholic schools around the world and schools throughout Italy will be the first to incorporate the new Minecraft Education experience into their curricula. Students and teachers with an Office 365 or Microsoft 365 Education account can access a free trial version of Minecraft Education by downloading the application.

“Today’s milestone is a natural and important extension of Microsoft’s partnership with the Vatican and another big step forward,” said Brad Smith, Vice Chairman and President of Microsoft. “We have been able to deliver the culture, religion and heritage of this wonderful institution into the hands of children in every country in the world.”

“This experience aims to accompany students to discover the fascinating and multifaceted spiritual, artistic and architectural reality enshrined in St. Peter’s Basilica, a place where the faith of countless generations has shaped a space of elevation and dialogue between the human and the divine,” said Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter’s Papal Basilica in the Vatican, Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City, and President of the Fabric of St. Peter’s, who added, “I hope that the gaming experience presented here can foster, thanks to the multiple opportunities offered by the platform, an authentic immersion in this journey of knowledge and reflection.”

Minecraft Education brings students to St. Peter's Basilica with "Peter is Here"

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