Cultural Heritage Administration Supports Renovation of Uzbekistan's Afrasiab Museum

 - The Heritage Management Center, the first in Central Asia to be equipped with an X-ray apparatus, opened -

- 980 books published by the Cultural Heritage Administration donated to the Samarkand Archaeological Institute and the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage -

The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA; Choi Eungchon, Administrator) with the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (CHF; Choi Youngchang, President), as part of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) project for cultural heritage in Uzbekistan, have successfully supported the reopening of the Afrasiab Museum and the establishment of the Heritage Management Center within the Samarkand Archaeological Institute. They held ceremonies for the reopening and signboard unveiling on the 13th.

CHA and CHF have extended their support towards the capacity building and environmental improvement of museums in Uzbekistan through the first international development cooperation (ODA) project initiated in 2020-21. As part of the second ODA project in 2022, the environmental improvement work of the Afrasiab Museum was completed last month. They have also aided in the construction of the Heritage Management Center, which is now open to the public.

The Afrasiab Museum houses a precious palace mural that depicts a group of Goguryeo envoys attending the coronation of King Varkhuman in the 7th century. This priceless piece of heritage is a testament to Goguryeo's history of international cultural exchange over 1,400 years ago. CHA has undertaken a second ODA project to renovate the first-floor exhibition hall and the palace mural exhibition hall of the Afrasiab Museum and replaced the roofing system.

In addition, they have provided the Center with specialized equipment for artifact preservation, analysis, and archaeological surveys. This includes the first X-ray apparatus in Central Asia for artifact analysis. Thanks to CHA's support, the Heritage Management Center will transform into a specialized research institute capable of organizing archaeological investigations and scientific studies of Uzbekistan's cultural heritage. The Center is expected to become a key driver of cultural heritage research in Uzbekistan, symbolizing the cooperation between the two countries.

The Museum reopening ceremony and the Center's grand opening ceremony were attended by several dignitaries, including Chae Suhee, Director General of CHA; Kim Dongha, Executive Director of Planning at CHF; Kim Heesang, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Uzbekistan; Aziz Inagamovich, Deputy Director of the Agency of Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan, Samarridin Mustafokulov, Director of the Afrasiab Museum, and Saidov Muninxon, Director of the Samarkand Archaeological Institute.

On the 11th, CHA donated 980 books that contain the results of its research on the preservation and utilization of cultural heritage to the Samarkand Archaeological Institute and the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage. The books will be placed in the laboratory of the Samarkand Archaeological Institute and the most extensive library in Central Asia, which will be built by the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage.

In addition to establishing the Center and improving museums' environmental conditions, CHA and CHF will collaborate with the Uzbek government in the field of cultural heritage, including excavating Qizilar Tepa, developing conservation treatment guidelines in the Uzbek language, and actively supporting the training of Uzbek professionals in cultural heritage conservation management.