The new director of the International Institute for Central Asian Studies (IICAS) Evren Rutbil is visiting Turkmenistan.

On September 17, he met with the executive secretary of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO, Chynar Rustamova, during which they discussed the prospects for bilateral cooperation.

The parties also discussed organizational issues of the upcoming subregional conference of international experts and national coordinators of the joint UNESCO and Japan Funds-in-Trust project “Support for the Process of Including the Silk Road Nominations in the World Heritage List” in Ashgabat in mid-November this year.

Evren Rutbil expressed his readiness to actively cooperate and provide support in the implementation of new projects aimed at preserving the historical and cultural heritage of Turkmenistan.

The IICAS Director also met with the Head of the National Department of Turkmenistan for the Protection, Study and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Monuments, Muhammed Mamedov. The parties exchanged views on the preservation of cultural heritage sites.

The International Institute of Central Asian Studies was established in 1995 in Samarkand as a result of the large-scale UNESCO Silk Road project. The Institute is engaged in a comprehensive study of the Central Asian region and the expansion of international scientific cooperation. There are already 12 countries that are IICAS member states: Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, the Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Russia.

On November 14, 2023, Evren Rutbil was elected as Director of the International Institute of Central Asian Studies for the period 2024-2027.