Empowering Rural Human Resources Through Virtual Reality for Waruga Cultural Heritage Within A Smart Village Framework

The preservation of cultural heritage in the digital era faces a dual challenge: maintaining physical integrity while ensuring relevance for younger generations. Sawangan Village in North Sulawesi is home to the *Waruga* archaeological park, a site of immense historical value. However, traditional tourism management fails to fully engage modern visitors or leverage the "Smart Village" potential. This Community Partnership Program (PKM) aimed to bridge this gap by implementing Virtual Reality (VR) technology as a digital preservation tool, focusing on the "Smart People" dimension. The intervention involved **20 participants**, including local youth and tour guides. The methodology encompassed three phases: (1) Digital documentation using photogrammetry; (2) Development of an immersive VR application using Unity 3D; and (3) Capacity building on VR operation and digital storytelling. Results demonstrate the successful deployment of a VR interaction corner and a significant improvement in human resource capacity, with training evaluations showing a **45% increase** in digital literacy scores. The integration of VR has modernized the visitor experience and empowered local guardians to sustainably manage their digital heritage.