Joint Statement of Intent in the Field of Cultural Heritage

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan on the occasion of the C5+1 Tenth Anniversary.

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The Governments of the United States of America, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan (collectively referred to as  the “C5+1 countries”) on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the C5+1 diplomatic platform are:

RECOGNIZING the unique cultural heritage of each C5+1 country and their remarkable contributions to humanity;

REAFFIRMING the importance of cooperation in protecting and preserving the unique cultural heritages of the C5+1 countries; and

RECALLING the deepening ties among C5+1 countries in the field of cultural heritage, including cultural exchanges, sharing of expertise in cultural heritage preservation, and cooperation through the Council of National Museums.

The C5+1 countries have reached the following understandings and intend to promote prosperity, peace, and progress by increasing economic activities and engagement by taking the following actions:

1. Strengthening information sharing, particularly in the areas of law enforcement and customs and border security to protect cultural property and preserve cultural heritage;
2. Building complementary regional networks to prevent illicit trafficking and protect art market integrity;
3. Exploring opportunities to integrate cultural heritage into shared economic goals, including through English language education, with benefits to the tourism sector and creative industries;
4. Increasing institutional partnerships and conducting expert exchanges to share best practices in conservation, curation, registration, digitization, provenance research, exhibition, heritage site management, protection of at-risk antiquities, and other areas of shared interest, such as in the fields of ethnology, archaeology, architecture, and restoration;
5. Promoting fulsome support and participation of all six countries in the Council of National Museums;
6. Promoting cooperation in museum activities and exchanges, including lending cultural property to hold exhibitions and expositions in leading museums and cultural institutions in C5+1 countries;
7. Communicating positions in international fora related to the promotion, protection, and preservation of the cultural heritage of C5+1 countries;
8. Supporting national craft traditions and artisans of decorative and applied arts, and preserving traditional culture, music, and dance;
9. Promoting further cooperation in the fields of education, science, and innovation for protecting cultural property and preserving cultural heritage, including the strengthening of academic and research ties, and support for joint initiatives between higher education institutions and research centers in C5+1 countries; and,
10. Supporting cooperation on festivals and cultural events that promote each country’s rich cultural heritage.

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