EU-UNESCO project launches the World Herritage Journeys initiative to support sustainable tourism in Central Asia

ALMATY – On 6 September 2021, the European Union and UNESCO have jointly launched the programme on development of sustainable tourism “The World Heritage Journeys of the Silk Road in Central Asia”, implemented in the countries of the CA region and Iran. The program will contribute to capacity building, expand cooperation, and help unite efforts of the World Heritage Center and national tourism administrations of the participating countries to work together at the cross-border level on sustainable tourism management. The program will result in the development of a series of cross-border itineraries that will be posted on the UNESCO platform on sustainable tourism - World Heritage Journeys (WHJ). This initiative will play an important role in attracting local and international tourists to the region and promoting World Heritage objects.  The program is organized within the framework of the European Union and UNESCO partnership project, “Silk Roads Heritage Corridors in Afghanistan, Central Asia and Iran - International Dimension of the European Year of Cultural Heritage.” In many countries, tourism is one of the main sources of income and employment growth. It offers opportunities for economic development, but World Heritage sites can suffer if tourism policies are misguided.  WHJ initiative is designed to support the valorization of the Silk Roads Heritage Corridors, exchange experiences and practices, and improve skills and knowledge in the field of tourism. Moreover, the program is designed to restore and support sustainable tourism in the participating countries after the damage caused by the pandemic.   Due to the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the program will take place in an online format from 6 September 2021 to 30 January 2021.  On 9 September 2021 the participants of the first session studied the platform and got acquainted with the goals of the training program, as well as identified major attractions and reasons for visiting each of the participating countries and World Heritage sites. The speakers for the sessions included international experts, such as Chris Seek, international consultant at Solimar International Inc, and Peter Debrine, Leader of Sustainable Tourism Programme at UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris. The training was aimed at tourism and cultural heritage experts.