www.thegreatsilkroad.com Ikuo Hiroyama's International Caravanserai of Culture is an international scientific, educational and cultural centre with its main objective being popularization of cultural heritage of Uzbekistan, Japan and other Silk Road countries.
The idea of Caravanserai of culture was suggested by famous artist from Japan - Ikuo Hiroyama. His initiative was supported by the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov and as a result the building of Caravanserai of Culture was constructed in the capital of Uzbekistan – City of Tashkent.
Caravanserai of Culture consists of two buildings. Block 'A' houses a library containing thousands of books and magazines on the Silk Road history, archeology, fine art, and ethnography; a conference-hall; administration and scientific staff premises. Block 'B' houses a big show-room where various exhibitions, festive events and concerts are held. The ground floor of the building houses two show-rooms with permanent exposition "Ceramics and rarities of the Great Silk Road", premises for office studies and reconstruction of archeological findings, laboratory and workshop for training of restorers on the basis of methods and technologies used by Japanese specialists.
The museum exposition "Ceramics and rarities of the Great Silk Road" is constantly enriched with new findings of regular scientific and research archeological and ethnographic expeditions of Caravanserai of Culture, as well as with works donated by Traditional Arts Centres of the Silk Road countries. The basis of the collection is formed by ancient, medieval and traditional contemporary ceramics, articles made of glass and metal, coins, sculpture, architectural elements, glazed tiles and samples of ganch - carving on alabaster.
The estate of Caravanserai of Culture also contains Garden of Friendship, which is decorated with symbols of long-term friendship and cooperation - evergreen cypresses planted by the leaders of governmental delegations and diplomatic missions.
International Caravanserai of Culture provides for the revival of Silk Road traditions, development of fruitful international dialogue of cultures on the basis of reciprocal respect, religious and ethnic tolerance. Its activity is aimed at propagation of knowledge on history, archeology, ethnography and arts.
The mission of Caravanserai of Culture is to expand collaboration of intellectual elite of different countries, of international funds, scientific and cultural centres and establishments in what concerns the research and popularization of the Silk Road in the countries of Central Asia, as well as in the countries of the East and the West.
In order to attain its objectives Caravanserai of Culture organizes the exhibitions of works of fine and decorative and applied arts, various festivals, concerts, master-classes, specialized roundtable meetings, symposiums, conferences and colloquiums, archeological and ethnographic expeditions, scientific research of restoration works, folk art contests, including the ones for invalid children, builds up the libraries and arranges museum collections.
Numerous tourists from all over the world regularly visit International Caravanserai of Culture where they can see the permanent picture-gallery and get acquainted with rich collection of unique exhibits, as well as buy as a keepsake exact or reduced copy of archeological artifact, items of Uzbek national dress, embroidery, ceramics, objects made of metal or wood, lacquered miniature and other traditional works of skilful craftsmen. |