International Museum Day is a renewal of our covenant with a civilization whose preservation was deemed essential by Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, the great historian of this region, who stated: "Reexamining the remnants of the past fosters wisdom and cements the bonds between generations."
Today, the ECO cultural domain, boasting more than 4,500 active museums across its Member States, possesses one of the richest and most dense repository landscapes in the world. From the Mediterranean shores of Türkiye across the Iranian plateau to the heart of Central Asia and the Subcontinent, these institutions are not mere storehouses for artifacts, but rather living epicenters safeguarding the shared identity of our nations.
In an era marked by cultural amnesia, this vast network of over 4,500 museums within the ECO region exercises a governance-level role in steering public diplomacy and reinforcing international consensus. The ECO Cultural Institute, while emphasizing the necessity of expanding structural cooperation among these thousands of civilizational galleries, considers these repositories as strategic assets for delineating a model for regional integration.
Commemorating this global occasion, the Institute conveys its highest commendation to the unwavering resolve of the guardians of this domain—from curators to Silk Road heritage scholars—whose stewardship provides depth to modern regional discourse.
Museums do not mark the terminus of historical trajectories; they are the guiding beacons for nations on the path ahead.
ECO Cultural Institute (ECI)
May 18, 2026