Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- At the invitation of the Uzbek side, the monitoring mission of UNESCO and the International Council for the Preservation of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), led by the head of the Asia-Pacific region of the UNESCO World Heritage Center Feng Jing, visited the historical cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, the press service of the Ministry of Culture reports.

UNESCO experts met with officials and representatives of civil society and various organizations, studied the sights of historical cities to conclude whether their protection corresponds to the status of a World Heritage Site.

At a meeting at the Ministry of Culture, it was noted that the leadership of Uzbekistan over the past years has been working with reputable international experts in the field of heritage conservation in these cities. In historical cities, in collaboration with international ICOMOS experts, specific plans are being developed to change the boundaries of World Heritage sites and the appearance of cities to match their international status.

The monitoring mission visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site - the city of Samarkand. The guests got acquainted with the Samarkand City project, visited the Bibi Khanum ensemble, which is considered the third largest monument in the Muslim world. To ensure the longevity of this historical monument, the experts proposed to study the building materials used in its construction, as well as to attract highly qualified experts to monitor the structural state of the ensemble structure for further conservation of the object.

The action plan for 2020-2025, which was presented to the guests by representatives of the Samarkand khokimiyat, will be aimed at improving the living conditions of the population, the quality of public places, the restoration of monuments and historic houses, improving the landscape of canals and water supply systems, and will also be the result of the government’s efforts to maintain integrity and the authenticity of Samarkand - a crossroads of cultures.

The monitoring mission also visited the city of Bukhara. Khokim of Bukhara region Uktam Barnoev expressed sincere gratitude to international experts for their contribution to the preservation of the intangible heritage of the country, and also informed in detail about measures taken in the region in recent years. In particular, the head of the region spoke about conservation and restoration work at cultural heritage sites located in Bukhara region, the historical part of the city of Bukhara. In particular, a draft management plan for the city of Bukhara and reports on assessing the impact on UNESCO World Heritage Sites have been prepared.

“We are impressed by the large-scale work done by Uzbekistan after our recommendations at the 43rd General Session of UNESCO in Baku,” says ICOMOS expert Richard Mackay. - The republic faces great tasks in preserving not only individual historical monuments, but also the historical structure and appearance of cities. The country has a huge and unique cultural heritage, which requires daily painstaking work to preserve, preserve and restore it.

The experts also proposed the creation of an advisory council on the preservation of cultural heritage in accordance with the requirements of UNESCO to build the capacity of national experts through training by international experts.