Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Since 2019, the Cultural Heritage Fund of the Republic of Korea, together with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Academy of Sciences, have implemented the ODA (Official Development Assistance) project for the preservation of the cultural heritage of Uzbekistan, directly by the Department of Cultural Heritage and the government of Korea. This project contributes to the transfer and preservation of ancient finds valuable for the Uzbek people to future generations.

Within the framework of the I-stage of the project on a grant basis in the amount of 700 thousand US dollars, a modern laboratory for the study and restoration of archaeological finds was created at the State Museum of the History of Culture of Uzbekistan, master classes for specialists in the field were held and 95 exhibits were restored, a room in the Afrosiyob Museum was repaired, where wall paintings are exhibited.

In order to modernize the existing repair laboratory of the Museum of Culture and History of Uzbekistan, the exhibition hall on the 4th floor of the museum building was reconstructed, equipped with modern repair equipment and inventory. More than 120 restoration kits and modern equipment worth US$87,000 were brought to the repair laboratory at the museum.

Within the framework of the project, 6 specialists from Uzbekistan were trained in methods of restoration of museum values. They have restored a number of ceramic and metal items that were on display in the museum.

In addition, a modern teaching aid was presented, revealing the secrets of the conservation of the Korean state; at the final stage of the project, an additional emphasis was placed on improving the material and technical base of the laboratory.

“Currently, the Korean government is preparing to implement the second stage of the ODA project from 2022 to 2026. The second stage of the project includes the study of unexplored historical monuments on the territory of Samarkand region and improvement of the infrastructure of the Institute of Archeology to turn them into tourist sites. The project cost is US$3.8 million, the director of the project on preservation of cultural heritage of Uzbekistan ODA, representative of the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation Kim Dongmin.

Both parts of the project envisages the preservation and management of the cultural heritage of Uzbekistan, the exchange of experience during research and excavations, the improvement of modern archaeological knowledge and skills, bringing the monuments into the state of an open museum, providing them with a material and technical base, raising the level of the restoration center and restorers.