The XI Multaqa of Three Cultures: “Valencia in the Western Silk Road”

The Valencia UNESCO Center, attached to the National Spanish Commission of Cooperation with UNESCO is organizing a far-reaching project, the XI Multaqa of Three Cultures (which in Arabic means a friendly meeting) that celebrates “Valencia in the Silk Roads” - 19th, 20th and 21st of June 2015, at the Museum of Fine Arts and at the House of Silk Traders, in Valencia. The Multaqa pretends to reinforce the presence of Spain and Portugal in the production and trade of silk from the Umayyad (“Omeyas”, 8th century), in the so called Western Silk Roads “Sericum Occidentali Viam”. The aim of this event is to stimulate all the activities related to The Silk Road, as well as the social dissemination of knowledge and heritage, to highlight the emblematic silk institutions in Valencia such as the College of Major Silk Art and The House of Silk Traders, and to distinguish the rich artistic and cultural heritage of traditional silk industry, las Fallas, one of the most important and distinctive cultural traditions of Valencia.

Major participants:  Mr Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Former UNESCO Director General, Mr Chiquillo Barber, Spanish Focal Point for the UNESCO Silk Road Online Platform, Mr. Luis Ramallo, Chairman of the Spanish National Commission for UNESCO, Mr Ali  Moussa-Iye, Chief of UNESCO's History and Memory for Dialogue section, Mrs Isabel Garaña, UNWTO Regional Director for Europe, Mr Ramon Moreno, Director General Casa Asia.  Artists, University Researchers from Granada, Cordoba, Zaragoza, Madrid and Valencia will attend as well as Representatives of Spanish Government and Ambassadors from the Silk Roads Countries. www.unescovalencia.org.