The official opening ceremony of the International Advisory Committee on Cultural Heritage in cooperation with UNESCO in Uzbekistan took place yesterday, September 15, at the luxurious Nurillaboy complex in Khiva.

The official ceremony began with a speech by the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan A.Abdukhakimov.

The fact that the first meeting of the International Advisory Committee for the Preservation and Restoration of World Heritage Sites of Uzbekistan was held in Khiva aroused great interest among specialists in this field.

At a high-level ceremony, the World Heritage Center presented the activities of the International Advisory Committee on Cultural Heritage, as well as the goals and role of this committee. The speeches of the mayors of the cities of Uzbekistan, where the UNESCO World Heritage Sites are located, and short presentations about the World Heritage Sites of Uzbekistan took place.

Dr. M.Rössler, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Center, spoke about the implementation of the decisions of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and heard brief comments and discussions from experts from this committee (13). An agreement was reached on cooperation within the framework of the International Advisory Committee, problems and opportunities in terms of preserving and restoring World Heritage sites in Uzbekistan, as well as on promoting the main activities and practical results of the International Advisory Committee and the implementation of joint projects.

Most importantly, it is gratifying that Gavkharjon Durdieva, head of the laboratory of the Khorezm Mamun Academy, was appointed an expert of the International Advisory Committee on Cultural Heritage in Uzbekistan in cooperation with UNESCO. This, in turn, allows the scientist to expand his scientific activities on an international scale to improve the efficiency of preservation, repair and use of architectural monuments. In the future, of course, the activities of the International Advisory Committee on Cultural Heritage in cooperation with UNESCO will positively affect the solution of existing problems of theoretical and practical work in Uzbekistan, as in all countries.