Liangzhu and Samarkand Cultural Heritages Deepen Cooperation

The archaeological ruins of Liangzhu City in China and the historical city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan held a civilizational dialogue event on July 6, aiming to foster mutual learning and cultural exchange. Over 100 participants from China and Uzbekistan gathered at the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu City in Hangzhou.

The dialogue, part of the "Liangzhu and the World" program, brought together participants to discuss the value of cultural heritage, its preservation and management, and approaches to heritage revitalization. The event also marked the "Liangzhu and the World" program's first collaboration with an Asian World Heritage site.

Liangzhu, discovered in 1936, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019. Samarkand, recognized as a crossroads of cultures along the ancient Silk Road, was listed by UNESCO in 2001. The meeting provided a high-level platform for exchange between the two cities.

Prior to the dialogue, the Uzbek delegation visited Liangzhu's ruins and a heritage monitoring center, learning about its integrated approach to heritage conservation using digital technologies, including AI-powered smart glasses. Farhod Nishonov, Deputy Mayor of Samarkand, praised Liangzhu's systematic preservation model, stating it offered valuable experience for Samarkand's management. He indicated Samarkand would draw from Liangzhu's practices and its sister-city relationship with Hangzhou to promote joint exhibitions, cultural and tourism exchanges, and youth programs.

Yang Xiaoping, Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, highlighted the program's goal to share Liangzhu's conservation experience while also learning from Central Asian cities. He expressed hope that this initiative would bring the people of both countries closer through these two civilizational landmarks.