Afghan Minister for Culture Sayed Makhdum Rahin is on a mission to Italy, and met at the foreign ministry in Rome with Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo Pistelli and the Directors General for Development Cooperation and Country Promotion. Rahin will remain in the capital for other institutional meetings that will include one with Italian Minister for Culture Massimo Bray on 12 December.
Meeting in Orvieto of work group for conservation of Bamyan
Afghanistan will also be on the agenda in Orvieto, which will host the 12th meeting of the work group of experts on the conservation of Bamyan, organised by UNESCO and the Italian institute for environmental protection and research (ISPRA). Over 50 international participants and representatives from various organisations have confirmed their presence at the meeting, which is being co-financed by the Italian and Japanese governments.
Among the principal themes to be discussed, are the conservation of the Buddha statue niches, preservation of the site’s components (Shahr-e-Gholgholah, Shahr-e-Zohak, Kakrak), drafting of a plan for the site’s management, the possible redefinition of its perimeter and measures necessary for removing it from the World Heritage List of sites in danger. The work group has been meeting annually since 2002, and is committed to supporting the Afghan government in its conservation strategies. It plays a key role in the design, implementation and verification of activities and projects at the site, and has become the principal forum for dialogue aimed at identifying opportunities for initiative and synergy.
