Published on: 2026-09-25
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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Lanzhou, September 24 /Xinhua/ — The 2026 Cultural Heritage Protection Symposium of the Great Silk Road “China – Central Asia” concluded on Wednesday in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province /Northwest China/. More than 70 experts and scholars from China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan shared their experiences and reflections on topics such as new archaeological discoveries on the Great Silk Road, digitalization of cultural relics, and key technologies for their preservation.
The director of the Dunhuang Academy, Guo Qinglin, stated that the cultural heritage of the countries located along the Great Silk Road, while possessing their own characteristics in terms of the features of archaeological sites, conditions of their preservation, and issues of their protection, also face many common challenges. Only through interstate, interdepartmental, and interdisciplinary exchanges and cooperation, as well as mutual study of protection concepts, scientific achievements, and practical experience, can these countries continuously enhance their theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the field of cultural heritage preservation, he noted.
An expert from the Turkestan Regional Historical and Local Lore Museum /Shymkent, Kazakhstan/ Aisulu Yerzhigitova spoke at a symposium about Chinese bronze mirrors that were discovered on the territory of Kazakhstan. She noted that these bronze mirrors and the culture associated with them constitute an important source of information for studying cultural exchanges between China and Kazakhstan, as well as in the broader context of interactions among cultures of the Eurasian continent.
A. Yerzhigitova also expressed hope that future joint research would allow for a deeper understanding of the origin of these objects and the issues of cultural exchanges.
Zarina Turatbek kyzy, a legal expert from Kyrgyzstan, drew special attention to the different approaches to the legal protection of cultural heritage in various countries. In her view, China not only strengthens control over cultural heritage through state agencies but also places importance on involving the public in the process of cultural heritage preservation through educational programs, and this concept deserves particular attention.
During the symposium, the Dunhuang Academy signed memorandums of cooperation with relevant institutions from Kazakhstan and Tajikistan to further strengthen research in the field of cultural heritage protection, exchanges of specialists, and technological cooperation.
In recent years, the Dunhuang Academy has continued to deepen cooperation with Central Asian countries in the field of cultural heritage preservation. In 2017, it signed a memorandum of cooperation with the relevant institution of Kyrgyzstan, after which academy specialists repeatedly traveled to Kyrgyzstan to conduct research on cultural monuments and develop preservation programs. In 2025, the establishment of the China-Kyrgyzstan Joint Laboratory for Cultural Heritage Protection of the “Belt and Road” was approved, which became an important platform for cooperation between China and Central Asian countries in the field of cultural heritage protection. -0-
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