The ECO Cultural Institute will host a specialized seminar entitled “Regional Cooperation in Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage along the Silk Road” on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event is organized in line with the Institute’s mission to strengthen cultural cooperation among the ECO Member States and promote intercultural dialogue across the region.
Bringing together officials and representatives of the ECO Member States, researchers, academics, and cultural heritage specialists, the seminar will provide a platform for exchanging views on enhancing regional cooperation in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and harnessing the region’s shared cultural assets along the historic Silk Road.
The programme will feature speeches by Dr. Mehrdad Rakhshandeh, Executive Director of the ECO Cultural Institute; Ms. Zulfiya Burkhan, Secretary-General of the National Commission for UNESCO of the Republic of Tajikistan; Dr. Atousa Moemeni, Director-General of the UNESCO Category 2 Regional Research Centre for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in West and Central Asia (Tehran Centre); and Dr. Hamidreza Shairi, Professor of Semiotics at Tarbiat Modares University.
The seminar will focus on several key themes, including the role of local communities in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, the contribution of intangible heritage to strengthening regional cultural identity, the exploration of narrative traditions across the Silk Road and the ECO region, and the potential of cultural cooperation to preserve the shared heritage of the peoples of the region.