Dr. Jiang Bo visited Turkey for IICAS Academic Meeting

    By the invitation of the director of IICAS (International Institute for Central Asia Studies), Dr. Jiang Bo, from the Institute of Archaeology, CASS, paid a 7-days visit to Antalya, Turkey, for the 13th Academic Council Meeting.

    As a direct outcome of the UNESCO Silk Roads Expeditions, IICAS was established in 1995 as a study center for the central Asia history, language, and archaeology. Based in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, IICAS includes member states as follows: Azerbaijan, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. The main objectives of IICAS are to bring to the attention of the international community historical and cultural issues on Central Asia and to strengthen collaboration between local scholars and their colleagues abroad through a multidisciplinary study of the region.    According to the IICAS rules, the executive body of the institute is the Academic Council, consisting of delegates from the member states. Prof. Shahin Mustafayev now is appointed as the director of IICAS.

    During this annual meeting, the delegates of the council discussed the annual work report of 2009-2010 given by Dir. Shahin Mustafayev, particularly focusing on the academic programs and financial affairs. The organizer also invited scholars from Turkey universities to give talks on the topic of “Turkey and the Silk Road”in the host institute, Akdeniz University. Delegates and scholars then were invited to view a documentary film “The Last Caravan” and to attend the opening ceremony of “Silk Road Photo Exhibition”. To experience the cultural heritage of Turkey, participants were kindly invited to visit the famous historical sites like Antalya Town, Aspendos Site, as well as Antalya Museum.

    Dr. Jiang Bo gave a short talk on the Silk Road and cultural communications between the east and west through the central Asia area. The Academic Council members attached great importance to the roles of Chinese scholars and heartily wish Chinese institutes and scholars actively attend the studies of Central Asia.