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On 06.04.2022, the international panel review meeting
was arranged and successfully held online by the International Institute for
Central Asian Studies (IICAS) to mark the completion of the Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA) of the proposed Uzgen Water Supply and Wastewater
Rehabilitation Project in the city of Uzgen, Kyrgyz Republic. The assessment
was carried out by the team of international and regional experts under the
auspices of IICAS within the framework of the UNESCO/Republic of Korea
Fund-in-Trust “Support for the Asian Silk Roads World Heritage Serial and
Transnational Nomination(s) (Phase II)”. A number of international and local
stakeholders who supported the expert team in the course of the assessment were
invited to take part in the meeting.
The meeting was opened by Dr. Feng Jing, Chief of the
Asia and the Pacific Unit, UNESCO World Heritage Center (WHC). Welcoming
speeches and remarks were also delivered by Ms. Sabira Soltongeldieva,
Secretary General, National Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic for UNESCO, Ms.
Aigul Khalafova, National Professional Officer for Culture, UNESCO Almaty
Cluster Office, Ms. Ayisin Duishanalieva, Director of the Republican
Inspectorate for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments under the
Ministry of Culture, Information, Sport and Youth Policy, and Dr. Dmitriy
Voyakin, Director of IICAS.
The opening session was followed by a number of
presentations dedicated to the Uzgen site, as a component of the Silk Roads:
Ferghana-Syrdarya serial transnational World Heritage Nomination, as well as
its history, values, and conservation challenges. A detailed report was made on
the progress of the HIA, results and conclusions made as a result of desk and
field studies, prior stakeholder meetings and consultations.
Subsequent intensive discussion initiated by Prof.
Roland Lin, Project Officer of the Asia and the Pacific Unit, UNESCO WHC was
focused on the recommendations prepared by the expert team to neutralize
possible detrimental impact on the heritage values of the Uzgen site. The
participants deliberated on further practical steps related to mitigation
measures to be taken in the course of the proposed development works. The need
for continuous collaboration between the stakeholders was specially
highlighted.
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