The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in collaboration with the National Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan for UNESCO and ICESCO and the International Institute of Central Asian Studies, conducted annual training courses, aimed at enhancing the capacity-building of Kazakh diplomats in the field of cultural and natural heritage preservation, DKnews.kz reports.
Since its launch in 2022, the program has provided both theoretical and practical knowledge on the application of international tools for the preservation of world heritage, in order to improve diplomats’ professional training and promote cultural and natural values on the global stage.
These courses were organized within the territory of Kazakhstan for the first time. Together with leading regional and international experts, the course participants visited key UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi and the Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve, as well as potential monuments of the transnational nomination “Great Silk Road,” including the ancient settlements of Turkestan, Otrar, Sauran and Kultobe.
This program demonstrates Kazakhstan’s commitment to preserve its unique heritage in accordance with high international standards.
In total, seventeen sites from Kazakhstan have been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List under the framework of six nominations to ensure their safety being in line with the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Currently, Kazakhstan, as a member of the World Heritage Committee, participates in decision-making on the inclusion of new sites to this prestigious UNESCO list and provides recommendations on their protection.
