In order to further implement the results of the China-Central Asia Summit and promote the sustained and in-depth development of China-Kazakhstan joint archaeology and heritage protection work, the inaugural meeting of Issyk-Kul Branch of the Collaborative Research Center for Archaeology of the Silk Roads was held in Issyk-Kul National Museum of History and Culture (hereinafter referred to as Issyk-Kul Museum) on the morning of October 14th. Consul General Jiang Wei of the Chinese Consulate General in Almaty sent a congratulatory letter. More than 50 experts and scholars from relevant organizations, including Akan Vogar, Director of the Institute of Archaeology of Kazakhstan, Gulimira Mukhtarova, Director of the Issyk-Kul Museum, Gulinur Dunbay, Head of the Almaty Regional Culture and Archives, Aiyi Jiang Tolleu, Principal of Jiangdosu Middle School, Zhao Rong, Director of the Collaborative Research Center for Archaeology of the Silk Roads, and Ding Yan, researcher of the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeological Research Institute, and other experts and scholars of the relevant institutions in China and Kazakhstan, attended the meeting.
At the inaugural meeting, Director Zhao Rong and Curator Gulimira signed the agreement on the establishment of Issyk-Kul Sub-Center of the Collaborative Research Center for Archaeology of the Silk Roads. Curator Gulimira was appointed as the director of the sub-centre on the Kazakh side, and researcher Ding Yan was appointed as the director of the sub-centre on the Chinese side, and received a special commendation from the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Republic Day for their excellent contributions and efforts for the prosperity of the country and the development of spiritual civilization of the young generation on the Kazakh side.
After the inauguration ceremony, the participants held round-table talks on the objectives and positioning of the sub-center and future cooperation plans, etc. The delegation of the Center made a field trip to the new Issyk-Kul Museum, the Jin’s burial ground, and the ruins of the ancient city of Lahat.
The establishment of the Issyk-Kul sub-centre attracted wide attention in the Kazakh society, and was publicized in the mainstream media, including the Kazakh national portal, the website of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Almaty regional television station.
