Published on: 2026-07-14
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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Lanzhou, July 14 /Xinhua/ — The 2026 Joint Demonstration Training Course dedicated to the preparation of highly skilled professionals in the field of cultural heritage preservation of the Great Silk Road opened on Tuesday in the city of Dunhuang /Gansu Province, Northwest China/.
25 young participants of the course, representing 19 universities, research institutes, museums, and cultural institutions from China and Central Asian countries, will take part in a 40-day training program. The average age of the participants is about 30 years.
This training course covers aspects such as a general overview of the heritage of the Great Silk Road and international norms for its protection, scientific understanding of traditional technologies and methods of diagnostic analysis, interpretation of damage mechanisms, and scientific management of heritage sites, said Guo Qinglin, director of the Dunhuang Academy.
According to him, the program is aimed at promoting a scientific and standardized approach to the protection of monuments along the Silk Road, as well as further improving the system of international cooperation between China and Central Asian countries in the field of cultural heritage protection.
The event is a vivid embodiment of mutual learning and exchange between civilizations in the field of international cultural heritage protection and youth-friendly communication, said Chen Yuzhu, Deputy Head of the Gansu Provincial Department of Cultural Heritage.
He noted that the western regions of China, especially Gansu Province, share similarities with Central Asian countries in terms of types of archaeological sites, characteristics of construction materials, climatic conditions, and damage mechanisms. The Dunhuang Academy has advanced expertise in the conservation of earthen monuments and can effectively meet the needs of Central Asian countries in cultural heritage protection.
In 2014, the “Silk Road: Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor Routes,” jointly nominated by China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, was successfully inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 2025, the China-Kyrgyzstan Joint Laboratory for Cultural Heritage Conservation was officially opened in the cities of Dunhuang and Bishkek, becoming an important platform for international cooperation between China and Central Asia in the field of cultural heritage conservation.
The Director of the Joint Laboratory on the Kyrgyz side and the Director of the Republican Inspection for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Ministry of Culture, Information, and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, Aysin Duishanalieva, stated that the organization of this training course is a continuation of the joint work within the framework of the laboratory, emphasizing that all participants are united by the desire to preserve the invaluable heritage of the Great Silk Road and pass it on to future generations as the most important part of world civilization. The main goal of the course is to train a new generation of specialists equipped with modern professional knowledge and practical skills that meet international standards in the field of cultural heritage preservation.
A student from the Kyrgyz Republic, Nazira Duishombekovna, remarked at the opening ceremony that they view participation in this course not only as an opportunity to acquire new professional knowledge and practical skills but also as a unique chance to better understand each other’s culture, strengthen friendly relations, and expand international cooperation.
The organizers of this training course are the Dunhuang Academy and the Republican Inspection for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Ministry of Culture, Information and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, with the executor being the China-Kyrgyz Joint Laboratory for Cultural Heritage Protection. -0-
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