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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Bishkek, January 2 (Xinhua) — The cultural heritage of the ancient Silk Road is of fundamental importance to Kyrgyzstan. Cooperation with China and other countries along the Silk Road in this area can be seen as steadily developing, said Mars Sariev, a political scientist from Kyrgyzstan and an expert on Central Asian affairs, in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.
Since China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative more than a decade ago, the issue of transmitting and preserving cultural heritage along the ancient Silk Road has received increasing attention.
"In international cooperation, the Silk Road serves as a universal cultural language, uniting countries with different political and economic models around shared historical and cultural values," noted M. Sariev. "Kyrgyzstan's cooperation with China and other countries along the Silk Road in the area of cultural heritage can generally be assessed as steadily developing."
According to the expert, the most successful areas include the multilateral UNESCO project "Silk Roads: The Routes Network of the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor," which has become an important example of a transnational nomination; joint archaeological research and scientific consultations, including with the participation of specialists from China, Kazakhstan, and other countries; academic exchanges, internships, and conferences on the history and archaeology of the Silk Road; exhibition projects and cultural forums that promote the common heritage.
"The cultural heritage of the ancient Silk Road is of fundamental importance to Kyrgyzstan—both historically and culturally, and in contemporary social and international terms," the political scientist emphasized, adding that historically, the territory of modern Kyrgyzstan was an active hub of transcontinental routes linking China, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Centers such as Suyab, Balasagun (Burana), Navekat, and Osh were sites of intense cultural, religious, and technological exchange.
According to M. Sariev, this heritage underscores the multilayered and open nature of Kyrgyzstan's cultural identity, shaping the country's image as a space for dialogue among civilizations. "In contemporary social development, the Silk Road legacy contributes to strengthening intercultural tolerance, shaping the regional identity of Central Asia, developing cultural tourism and creative industries, and enhancing Kyrgyzstan's 'soft power' in the international arena," he believes.
According to the Kyrgyz political scientist, the use of modern technologies—remote sensing, 3D modeling, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality—opens up entirely new opportunities for preserving and promoting the heritage of the Silk Road.
“These technologies enable non-invasive archaeological research, the creation of digital copies of monuments under threat of destruction, the modeling of lost sites and historical landscapes, and the making of cultural heritage accessible to a wider audience, including young people and the international community,” he noted.
According to M. Sariev, in the future, efforts to transfer and preserve the cultural heritage of the ancient Silk Road can be applied in such areas as joint nominations of UNESCO sites, including the expansion of existing serial nominations and the preparation of new cross-border dossiers, the creation of a single digital database of Silk Road monuments with unified standards for description, monitoring and preservation, joint research and development in the field of modern conservation and restoration technologies, especially in the conditions of a mountainous and seismically active region, training programs for personnel and youth specialists, including archaeologists, restorers, museum curators and cultural tourism managers, the development of transnational tourist routes focused not only on mass but also on scientific, educational and cognitive tourism.
Touching upon the "Silk Road spirit," whose core is peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and borrowing, mutual benefit, and shared gain, M. Sariev believes that in the new era, modern forms of heritage interpretation play a significant role, including interactive museums, digital exhibitions and VR routes, educational programs and school courses focused on cultural dialogue, media projects, and social networks that speak to young people in a language they understand.
“Thus, the cultural heritage of the Silk Road can become not only an object of protection, but also a living resource for shaping the values of the future – through knowledge, technology, and international cooperation,” he concluded. –0–
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