Assistant Director General of UNESCO for Culture Ernesto Ottone:
It is my great pleasure to join you in opening the 6th International Congress of the cultural heritage of Uzbekistan: the basis for the new renaissance. I wish to thank the authorities of Uzbekistan for their tireless efforts to safeguard Uzbekistan's rich cultural heritage. Uzbekistan is home to a rich and diverse cultural heritage, reflecting its historic position on the Silk Road. It is also home to four UNESCO world heritage sites including Samarkand where this meeting is taking place. Ten living heritage elements from Uzbekistan are also inscribed on the list of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention. One element - Bakhshi Art - was inscribed just last year. As part of the ongoing cooperation between UNESCO and Uzbekistan, an International Advisory Committee was recently launched for world heritage properties in your country at the joint initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Director General of UNESCO following her official visit to the country in August 2019. The aim of this committee is to provide technical support as Uzbekistan reinforces its efforts to preserve its four world heritage sites. Ladies and gentlemen, сultural heritage is a source of resilience, humanity, and innovation; it is a powerful basis for sustainable development and co-bringing countries and communities together around shared values. This year, UNESCO's World Heritage Convention celebrates its 50th anniversary. This is a moment to reflect on all that has been achieved at the global level to protect the common heritage of humanity as well as the challenges that remain. I have no doubt that this International Congress will contribute greatly to this reflection and to the wider safeguarding of cultural heritage in Uzbekistan. I wish you rich and insightful debates and we hope that the next fifty will be a moment of getting all together. Thank you for having me today with you.
