The Third Meeting of the International Network for the Silk Roads Online Platform in Baku

The Third Meeting of the International Network for the Silk Roads Online Platform was held from the 4 to 5 May 2017 in Baku, Azerbaijan.  The meeting gathered seventeen members of the International Network and fifteen observers, representing the UNESCO Member States of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, the Russian Federation, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. 

The meeting of the International Network was an important step in sharing information and strategizing future activities to implement the Action Plan that was adopted by the Network at the Second Meeting in Valencia in 2016.

This meeting was officially opened with a speech by His Excellency, Anbar Karimov, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Republic of Azerbaijan, who after welcoming the participants underlined the importance that his country accords the Silk Roads heritage and respect for cultural diversity. Ms Nada Al-Nashif, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Social and Human Sciences, followed with her own opening remarks for the meeting, emphasizing the importance of the Silk Roads project as one of UNESCO’s major initiatives for the promotion of a culture of dialogue and peace in the framework of the International Decade for Rapprochement of Cultures. Following the opening session, the UNESCO Silk Roads Online Platform team presented the major activities undertaken to raise the project’s profile, establish new partnerships, and prepare new initiatives. The Chair of the International Network of the Silk Roads Online Platform updated participants on the various activities that had been achieved in mobilizing the stakeholders in Spain and in other countries, widening the geographic scope of the Network (in particular to North Africa and the Americas), and developing new areas of cooperation such as in Martial Arts.

Country updates were presented also by Focal Points from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Iran, China, Kazakhstan, Iraq, Mongolia, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Afghanistan, and India.  Activities reported include: research, national and international events (conferences, seminars, exhibitions, cinema weeks), youth outreach and participation, addressing threats to the conservation of sites, the nomination of dossiers for new World Heritage sites, tourism development, trainings, developing new technologies, and publications.  An update was also provided by the Director of the International Institute for Central Asia Studies, which has been very active in research and publication.

Moreover, the secretariat of the Silk Roads Online Project presented two new initiatives for Focal Points to rally around that will be undertaken in the coming months: an Interactive Atlas of Cultural Interactions along the Silk Roads, and the “Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads” Photo Contest.

The Third Meeting was held in coordination with the 4^th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue that was held on the 5 and 6 of May in Baku.  Against the symbolic backdrop of Baku, a historical and cultural crossroads between North, South, East and West, the Forum brought together heads of government and international organizations, ministers, senior policy makers, cultural professionals, goodwill ambassadors, experts, journalists, practitioners, prominent intellectuals, experts and activists.  The Forum’s motto, “Advancing Intercultural Dialogue: New Avenues for Human Security, Peace and Sustainable Development,” set a tone that urged those in attendance to continue working for increased communication and cooperation to resolve conflict. The strong commitment of the Government of Azerbaijan in organizing the meeting and supporting this initiative was appreciated by all in attendance.