TEHRAN – A recent conference hosted delegations of experts and officials from Iran and other countries with the aim of cementing common heritage along the ancient Silk Road.

“Afghanistan, Central Asia and Iran – Common Heritage along the Silk Roads and corridors to and from Europe” was selected as the theme for the event held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from November 5 and 6.

Organized in cooperation with UNESCO, the European Union and the International Institute for Central Asian Studies, the conference addressed preservation of Silk Road tangible and intangible cultural heritage in order to enhance regional knowledge and to encourage sustainable tourism.

Scholars, Orientalists, art historians, historians and experts exchanged views on how to safeguard Silk Road heritage while promoted common understanding about the route which was once a strategic bridge between the East and the West, the organizers said.

According to the UNESCO, such events aim to contribute to improving livelihoods of the communities in the region, including youth and women, through capacity building and the creation of opportunities for income-generation and jobs.

The Iranian delegation also represented Iranian National Commission for UNESCO, Foreign Ministry, National Museum of Iran, and UNESCO Office in Tehran.

The Silk Road used to be an ancient network of trade routes, formally established during the Han Dynasty of China, which linked East to West by passing through the regions of the ancient world in commerce between 130 BC and 1453 CE.

Culture, art, religion, philosophy, technology, language, science, architecture, and every other element of civilization was exchanged along the Silk Road, carried with the commercial goods the merchants traded from country to country.

AFM/MQ/MG