Eurasia World Heritage Cities int’l conf takes place in Turkestan

TURKESTAN. KAZINFORM The X International Conference of Eurasia World Heritage Cities was held in Turkestan, the regional communications service reports.

Turkestan officially joined the Eurasia World Heritage Cities at the informal summit of the Council of Cooperation of Turkic-Speaking Countries and was declared the spiritual capital of the Turkic world. City Mayor Rashid Ayupov noted significance of the event on the eve of the 30^th anniversary of Independence of Kazakhstan.

Representatives of more than 50 cities from 23 states of the world boasting great experience in preserving historical and cultural values of Iran, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Poland, Greece, Indonesia, Germany, Morocco, Albania, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and China took part in the event. The conference held via a videoconferencing focused on preservation of ancient heritage and culture, development of tourism, right planning and urban beatification, preservation of historical attractiveness in the age of construction of new buildings.

Mayor Rashid Ayupov suggested expanding spheres of cooperation between the member states of the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) such as development of tourism (joint tours, increasing of direct air services), virtual tours, youth exchange programs, humanitarian assistance.

Following the conference the declaration of the X International Conference of Eurasia World Heritage Cities was adopted.

The Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) was officially founded on 8 September 1993 in Fez (Morocco).