UNESCO Takes Part in International Conference ‘Samarkand: 3,000 Years of Heritage'

An international conference titled ‘Samarkand: 3,000 Years of Heritage’ was held on 5 November 2025 in the margins of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference, bringing together scholars, archaeologists and cultural heritage experts from Uzbekistan and around the world to assess the city’s thousand-year history and global significance.

The opening ceremony was held in the presence of the Governor of Samarkand, Adiz Boboev, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to UNESCO, Kamol Mukhtarov, and Elmurod Najimov, representing the administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Key institutions of Uzbekistan were also represented, in particular, the Samarkand Institute of Archaeology, the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation.

The international conference featured a keynote speech by Lazare Eloundou Assomo, UNESCO’s Director of World Heritage, who highlighted Samarkand’s role as a crossroads of cultures and a living testimony of human creativity and exchanges. He praised the decision of the government of Uzbekistan to support archaeological and scientific researches conducted by Uzbek scholars, that led to shed new light on remarkable findings about the early phases of the city’s development. He commended the studies published as they would enhance the understanding of Central Asia’s history and demonstrate both Uzbekistan’s essential contribution to the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and the shared values of humanity.

“As a major crossroads of the Silk Roads, Samarkand stands as a living testament to the power of exchange, learning, and coexistence of people across time. In this respect, the city reminds us that cultural heritage is not only a legacy of the past, but also a foundation for the future, one upon which peace, dialogue and sustainable development can be built.”

Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the World Heritage Centre

Throughout the international conference, researchers presented recent archaeological findings from the Afrasiab site, Registan Square, Shakhi-Zinda and Bibi-Khanum, revealing continuous urban development over many centuries across successive cultural and historical phases.

Discussions also highlighted the importance of integrating heritage preservation with education, youth engagement and community empowerment, while addressing contemporary challenges such as climate change, urban transformation and tourism pressures.

The conference concluded with a commitment to continued research, preservation and international cooperation, reaffirming the city of Samarkand as a symbol of unity in diversity and a cornerstone of the world’s cultural heritage.