Expert Meeting on Cultural Heritage in Central Asia and Japan

 (Tashkent - Uzbekistan) 
From 14-03-2008   to   16-03-2008

The Centre for International Cooperation on Conservation (CICC) of the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo (NRICPT) provides discussion opportunities for experts on Asia in the form of international meetings or workshops.

In this context, the CICC is carrying out a five-year project (2006-2011), which calls for an annual expert meeting aimed at sharing knowledge on current preservation issues of cultural heritage in Asian countries. The first meeting, held in Tokyo in 2006, broadly identified the current needs in Asia.

The objectives of the March meeting are to:

• Understand the current state of preservation of cultural heritage in Central Asia;
• Concretely develop an international network among Central Asian and Japanese experts in order to enhance cooperation and exchange of experience and knowledge;
• Discuss possible areas of cooperation for Japanese experts in the preservation of cultural Heritage.

The main themes for discussion are:

• Temporary conservation and preservation methods for archaeological findings during excavation;
• Site management and follow-up after excavation (planning, site interpretation and treatment, backfilling);
• Preservation of movable objects (conservation, storage and inventory of artefacts, mural paintings, paper, etc.);
• Presentation and public access (in situ conservation, museum display, database, publication).

Country reports from: Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will also be presented. The meeting will be followed by a two-day excursion on 15 and 16 March to Samarkand.

This event is organized by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (Tokyo, Japan) in co-operation with the Uzbek Authorities and the UNESCO Office in Tashkent.