A Network of Cultural Institutions in Central Asia.

The UNESCO HeritageNet programme (A network of cultural Institutions in Central Asia) is contributing to the international promotion of culture and art of Central Asia through the development of digital cataloguing in museums and the creation of cultural multimedia products. HeritageNet, through Information Society technologies, embodies the ancient Silk Road, replacing the flow of spices and silk with information and images of Central Asia’s cultural treasures.

The European Commission DG InfoSoc has supported this project through its International Co-operation (Inco) Programme. An accompanying measure project is currently being proposed to the IST programme; enabling RTD Co-operation with third countries (Multimedia content and access to cultural heritage).

The European partner in the EC HeritageNet project, EUROCLID, is creating digital cataloguing software which will initially be introduced in museums in Central Asian countries at the beginning of next year. The software will be open source so that it is adaptable to the needs of each museum, and will apply international cataloguing norms. The software will be free of charge.

A digital catalogue is a tool supporting the museum in its primary roles of preservation, study and presentation to the public of a collection. It should therefore play a very important role in the daily activities of the museums providing management for museum collections and security of information related to objects, and will help feed an accessible regional database of information and images related to Central Asia. It is a tool used in all the work processes by museum professionals, and if well designed it contributes to reinforce the best practices in museum management, and to increase the global accountability of the museum.

A listserv is also being established to promote the widespread discussion of Central Asian cultural history and this will be promoted on national, regional and international levels. A database of museums related to the HeritageNet is growing and being promoted by focal points in each Central Asian country. This will help create a regional and international outlook in the Central Asian museum profession. We hope that the EC will continue to support our important project, especially important for the momentum of the cultural domain in newly independent countries, so that we can further disseminate our culture and become more integrated in international cultural networks.

HeritageNet can help enhance links between Central Asian cultural scientists and their international colleagues, create a positive and attractive image of the region, promote cultural tourism in Central Asia, establish visibility of Central Asian target groups on the Internet and promote better understanding of cultures between Europe and Central Asia.

HeritageNet related projects include:

CD-ROMs on Central Asian culture “Musical Heritage of Kazakhstan”, “Kazakhstan Chronicle- as documented in Kazakh newspapers from 1913-1932 in Arabic alphabet”, “The legend of Manas”. Other projects include the Regional School of Web Designers in Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan Bishkek), ECONET – First Central Asian Network using Internet for scientific solutions of environmental problems related to the Aral Sea, Semipalatinsk nuclear testing ground and the Caspian Sea.

• Technical advisory services and substantive inputs to strengthen CII projects and programs in the Central Asian region with emphasis on the areas of IT and Telematics.
• Organising capacity-building programs, training workshops and roundtables for the development and design of appropriate computer-based systems
• Fundraising and project generation targeting sustainability of IT and Internet applications.
• Technical back up and logistical advice for computer and Internet related applications
• Promoting open learning and distance education systems, emphasising IT applications
• EC funded projects include HeritageNet and TeleInViVo (3D ultrasound telemedicine).

UNESCO Almaty Office - The office covers UNESCO’s communication, education, culture, natural sciences and social and human science activities in ten countries, namely Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kirgiz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The UNESCO Almaty Office has broad experience in networking various organisations in the region as seen from the projects supporting the Association of Electronic Mass Media of Central Asia (ANESMICA), Women in Media Network of Central Asia (WIMNCA), the Print Media Association of Central Asia (PMACA) and Expansion of ASIAVISION TV News Exchange in Central Asia.

The Almaty Office has helped in the implementation of the following EC funded projects; DENEMA (Development of New Markets for Telematics Products in Central Asia), TeleInViVo (3D ultrasound portable telemedical workstation) and HeritageNet projects.