PARIS, May 15. /Dunyo IA/.  An online meeting was organized by the Permanent Delegation of Uzbekistan to UNESCO with Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (WHC), and Sébastien Moriset, representative of the “CRATerre” association and architect-expert in heritage site conservation, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The meeting, which was also attended by representatives of the Secretariat of the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO and the Cultural Heritage Agency, discussed the development and implementation of a joint project for the restoration of the “Poi Kalyan” architectural ensemble within the territory of the World Heritage site “Historical Centre of Bukhara”.

Lazare Assomo, Director of the World Heritage Centre, noted Uzbekistan's efforts to improve the protection system for the country's unique cultural heritage sites, as well as the practical measures being taken in the republic for their careful preservation and transmission to future generations.

He drew specific attention to the fact that over recent years, significant progress has been achieved in developing bilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and the WHC in the field of cultural heritage preservation, which continues to expand through the implementation of new initiatives in various areas.

During the meeting, representatives of the WHC and “CRATerre”, which is one of the leading international associations of experts on cultural heritage preservation, expressed their readiness for the joint development and implementation of the initiative for the restoration of “Poi Kalyan”, including the application of leading international practices and methods.

The meeting participants emphasized that, given the unique historical value of the monumental structures making up this architectural ensemble, this project could become a model of effective international cooperation in the field of cultural heritage preservation.

Special attention was drawn to the importance of preparing a comprehensive, multi-year conservation plan within the framework of this project to ensure the long-term preservation of “Poi Kalyan”, including through capacity-building activities for local specialists in the fields of conservation, restoration, and management of cultural heritage sites, who will be directly involved in the planning and implementation of this initiative.

Following the meeting, a preliminary agreement was reached to organize a visit of 'CRATerre' and WHC representatives to Uzbekistan to study the state of preservation of “Poi Kalyan” and its related issues in detail on-site, conduct consultations with local experts, and get acquainted with the personnel training system in this field, as well as to hold meetings with stakeholders for further detailed planning, definition and coordination of the core parameters and modalities of the project.