On October 26, the “Silk Road Civilization Exchange and Kuqa Historical and Cultural Research Symposium,” along with the “Eighth Annual Kuqa Conference” and the “Promotion Meeting for High-Quality Development of Tourism in the Kuqa Area,” opened in Kuqa, located in the Aksu region of Xinjiang.
Over 130 experts and scholars from around the world gathered in Kuqa to discuss and exchange ideas centered on the theme of “Silk Road Civilization Exchange and Kuqa Historical and Cultural Research.”
During his welcoming speech, Wu Hongzhang, secretary of the Aksu Prefecture Committee, emphasized that in recent years, the Aksu region has focused on developing a one-stop tourism demonstration zone in Xinjiang and establishing Kuqa as a world cultural tourism destination. He expressed a sincere hope that guests would provide more guidance and support for advancing the high-quality development of Kuqa culture, enabling it to shine on the path of Chinese cultural prosperity.
“I was encouraged to see the strong emphasis placed on cultural heritage preservation at today’s meeting,” said Kojiro Kojima, cultural advisor to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Government. “I will continue to pay close attention to heritage preservation efforts in Xinjiang and promote its significance to a broader audience.”
The opening ceremony also featured a plaque presentation for the Kuqa Base of the Kizil Grotto Research Institute, accompanied by keynote speeches from various experts and scholars.
Yu Zhiyong, the Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Cultural Relics Institute and the Director of the Xinjiang Museum, delivered a presentation titled “Systematic Interpretation and Display of Kuqa Historical and Cultural Heritage Resources.” He outlined the key areas for systematically interpreting and showcasing the heritage of Kuqa. He expressed a desire to enhance communication and collaboration with experts both domestically and internationally to explore the protection, transmission, and innovative development of Kuqa culture, aiming to inject new vitality into it.
The symposium is set to continue until October 29, during which experts and scholars will engage in academic reports and thematic discussions across eight topics, including the history, culture, economy, religion, language, and arts of Kuqa.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit significant cultural sites, such as the Kumtura Grottoes, Ush Tur Site, Subash Buddhist Temple Site, Kizil Grottoes, the Kuqa Wei-Jin Ancient Tomb Museum, the Historical Cultural City Exhibition Hall, the Kuqa Music and Dance Digital Exhibition Hall, and other historical relics.
