Signing Ceremony of China-Uzbekistan International Joint Laboratory of Scientific and Technological Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Protection was Held

On November 15, the signing ceremony was held online and offline between Northwest University and the “Silk Road” International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan. The attendees of the ceremony are Aziz Abdulhakimov, President of Silk Road University, Zou Tongqian, Vice President of Silk Road University, Joseph Hoffman, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Odilov Akmaljon, Head of Management Department, and Akramova Feruza, Executive Director of the Office of International Relations of Silk Road University ; Chi Runlin, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan, Guo Lihong, President of NWU and other relevant officials.

In his speech, Guo Lihong pointed out that Northwest University has a profound foundation of cooperation with universities and research institutes of Uzbekistan. The archaeological work jointly carried out by the universities has effectively promoted the civilization inheritance, scientific and technological prosperity and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and the related work has been praised by national leaders for many times. Under the leadership of its President Aziz Abdulhakimov, Silk Road University has opened a new stage in international cooperation and talent cultivation among universities in the Belt and Road countries. NWU will take this signing as an opportunity to further deepen and expand its cooperation with Silk Road University in the fields of archaeology, cultural heritage protection and tourism development, jointly promote the high-quality development of personnel training, scientific research and discipline construction, and jointly write a new chapter in the cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and Uzbekistan.

Aziz Abdulhakimov pointed out that the Silk Road University was founded on the base of the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Qingdao. Located in Samarkand, a world heritage city, the University enjoys obvious geographical advantages and has made remarkable achievements in tourism management, heritage protection and cultural communication personnel training, as well as international exchanges. Silk Road University and Northwest University have a good foundation and broad prospects for cooperation. We hope to take this signing as an opportunity to carry out in-depth cooperation at a higher level and in a wider range of fields, promote practical cooperation in personnel training, scientific research and platform building in relevant fields, and seek common development and prosperity.

On behalf of the two sides, Guo Lihong and Aziz Abdulhakimov signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the Silk Road University and Northwest University and the Agreement on the Co-construction of the China-Uzbekistan International Joint Laboratory of Scientific and Technological Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Protection between Northwest University and Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage.