The second meeting of the International Network for the Silk Roads Online Platform held from 8 to 12 June 2016 in Valencia, Spain brought together focal points and experts from twenty UNESCO Member States (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Egypt, Georgia, India, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Oman, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey and Uzbekistan).
The Focal Points who were designated by their National Commissions for UNESCO presented comprehensive reports on the historic links between the Silk Roads and their respective countries as well as the ongoing Silk Roads initiatives. They discussed and the “Guiding Principles and Strategic Orientations" that should lead the work of the Network, of the Online Platform and its partner. They agreed that the principles of “Culture as a product of diversity”, of “Equal dignity of cultures”, of “Common heritage, mutual influences, plural identity, and collective ownership” should be enhanced and promoted through the activities of the Network.
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The Focal Points also discussed and adopted a concrete and realistic Action Plan for the coming two years. Finally, the participants adopted a Declaration reaffirming the importance the Silk Roads in responding to the challenges of intercultural dialogue and fostering mutual understanding. The values and objectives of the meeting was a crucial one as it permitted the members of the International Network to elect the Bureau for the Network which will ensure the implementation of the Action Plan and coordinate the collaboration among Focal Points. The Bureau comprises a Chair (Spain), 4 Vice Chairs (Azerbaijan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation and Oman) and two rapporteurs (Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan).
This meeting was organized by UNESCO under the framework of the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022), in partnership with the UNESCO Centro Valencia – Mediterraneo and with the support and contribution of the Valencia Municipality, Valencia Regional Administration (Generalitat) and the Spanish National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO. It was officially opened by Mr. Francesco Colomer, Regional Vice-Minister for Tourism of Valencia, and Mr. Badarch Dendev, Director of the Division of Social Transformation and Intercultural Dialogue. During the opening ceremony, Mr. Li Zhonghang, the CEO of the Tang West Market Group of China, one of the partners of Silk Roads Online Platform that hosted the first meeting of the Network in Xian in 2015, handed over a flag symbolizing the passing of leadership to Valencia, the new host city. img_4253_r.jpg
During the closing session, Mr. Federico Mayor Zaragoza, the former UNESCO’s Director General (1987-1999)delivered a speech on the increasing importance of the Silk Roads especially in the current world’s situation. A public conference under the theme of “Challenges of Intercultural Dialogue: Lessons from the History of Silk Roads” was organized after the closing session. Mr. Federico Mayor and Mr. Ahmad Jalali, former president of UNESCO General Conference (2001-2003) and current Permanent Delegate of Islamic Republic of Iran to UNESCO were the two key-notes speakers and exchanged their experience and views on these issues.
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The Second Meeting was held on the occasion of the XIIth edition of the Multaqa Festival (Encounter of Cultures). Multaqa, which means a friendly encounter in Arabic, is celebrated every year and the 2016 edition was devoted to Silk and Peace. In the opening ceremony of the Multaqa, representatives of the four religions along the Silk Roads (Judaism, Christianism, Islam and Buddhism) made a Pray Call for peace and prosperity. Different side events were also organized during this meeting. The Valencia’s Mayor offered a beautiful firework in honor of the participants to show the city’s know-how in this area. The General Consulate of Morocco in Valencia organized a special cultural event to show the creativity of two Moroccan designers using Silk and the mutual influence between Spanish and Arab music.