The first Advanced Seminar on Silk Road Culture and Tourism Development & Seminar on Enhancing Capabilities of Culture and Tourism Research in Central Asian Countries was successfully held

From August 3 to 14, the Advanced Seminar on Silk Road Culture and Tourism Development & Seminar on Enhancing Capabilities of Culture and Tourism Research in Central Asian Countries were successfully held, host by Beijing International Studies University(BISU) and organized by the Scientific Research Office and China Academy of Culture and Tourism(CACT). 

Fig1. Zheng Chengjun, Standing Committee Member and vice president of BISU, presided over the opening ceremony 

At the opening ceremony on August 3, attendees were Wang Xiaofeng, President of China Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Association; Chang Yu, Secretary of the Party Committee of BISU; Cui Yinglan, second-level Inspector of the International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Matkarimov Jakhongir Shamuratovich, Deputy Director General of the Department of Education and Scientific Development of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Bobur Yahyoev, Consul of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Zhang Runsheng, President of China Tourism Press; Zhang Wenguang, Vice President of China Tourism Press; Zou Tongqian, Vice President of Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage and Assistant President of BISU; Zheng Shi, President of Shanghai Cooperation Economic and Trade Research Institute (Qingdao); Yang Xin, general manager of Tourism Education Press and BISU Education Technology Co., LTD.. Zheng Chengjun, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of BISU, presided over the opening ceremony. More than 30 government officials, experts and scholars from the Department of Education and Scientific Development of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Government of Samarkand Region, the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, and Tashkent State Economic University were invited to attend the opening ceremony. 

Fig2. Chang Yu, Party Secretary of Beijing International Studies University, delivered a speech. 

In his speech, Chang Yu said that the seminar would focus on "the development of Silk Road culture and tourism", and scholars would exchange and discuss with each other on the forefront of the field of cultural tourism through the form of "discussion + field visit". The purpose of this seminar is not only to serve as an important platform for academic exchanges between the two sides, but also to take concrete measures to help China and Central Asian countries cooperate in the fields of culture, tourism, trade and investment. 

Fig3. Cui Yinglan, second-level Inspector of the International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, delivered a speech. 

Cui Yinglan pointed out in her speech that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has always supported academic exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries in the field of culture and tourism, and hopes to further strengthen exchanges and interactions in culture, tourism, academia and other fields, so as to provide more wisdom and solutions for deepening people-to-people exchanges between China and Central Asian countries and jointly building the "Belt and Road" with high quality. 

Fig4. Matkarimov Jakhongir Shamuratovich, Deputy Director General of the Department of Education and Scientific Development of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Uzbekistan, delivered a speech. 

Matkarimov Jakhongir Shamuratovich reviewed the long-standing and profound friendship between China and Uzbekistan, saying that the cooperation between both sides in culture and tourism will continue to deepen and look forward to the prosperity of the culture and tourism between China and Uzbekistan. 

Fig5. Bobur Yahyoev, Consul of the Republic of Uzbekistan, delivered a speech. 

Bobur Yahyoev said that the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage is of great significance in improving the quality of Uzbek tourism professionals and the development of the tourism industry, and the cooperation with Beijing International Studies University is a key link. 

Fig6. Tourism Education Press donated books to Silk Road University. 

At the opening ceremony, China Tourism Press and Tourism Education Press also held a ceremony to donate books to the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage. Zhang Runsheng, president of China Tourism Press, said that he specially selected and donated 1,000 copies of various cultural travel books, hoping to help the Silk Road University in terms of talent training, disciplinary exchanges, and mutual learning of civilizations, and contribute to the strength of publishers for the "Cultural Silk Road". Yang Xin, general manager of Tourism Education Publishing House and BISU Education Technology Co., LTD., said that more than 400 varieties of books were selected for donation, hoping to publicize the development achievements and experience of China's tourism industry to friendly and neighboring countries. 

Fig7. Zou Tongqian, Vice President of Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage and Assistant President of BISU, made a concluding speech. 

Professor Zou Tongqian, vice president of Silk Road University and assistant President of BISU, made a concluding speech. He said that Silk Road University is a cooperation project between China and Uzbekistan under the Belt and Road Initiative. Tourism resources in Central Asia are very rich, and the two countries have broad space for cooperation in the field of culture and tourism. The development of tourism is conducive to the economic development of the Central Asian region and the promotion of people-to-people exchanges among the SCO member states. 

Fig8. Wang Xiaofeng, President of China Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Association, gave a lecture. 

Experts from academia and industry, including China Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Association, Tourism Research Center of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Los Angeles Convention and Tourism Bureau, BISU, are invited to give lectures. They conducted in-depth discussions and exchanges on such topics as intangible cultural heritage, trends and hot spots in the tourism and hotel industry, cultural heritage protection in the new media era, cultural and tourism market regulation in the big data era, brand marketing of international tourism destinations, and cultural and tourism research methods. 

Fig9. Exchange and discussion with experts and scholars of Northwest University 

Fig10. Visiting the National Museum of China 

From August 3 to 10, the participants went to the Beijing Office of the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Regional Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zone, the Beijing Hospitality Institute of BISU, the World Tourism Cities Federation, the Tourism College of Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai Business School, Xi 'an International Studies University and Northwest University for study and exchange and deepen exchanges and cooperation with universities and organizations to expand the breadth and depth of academic research; Visit the BISU History museum, CACT, China Unicom Innovation Experience Center, Tongzhou Grand Canal Smart Scenic Area, Shougang Park (Olympic Winter Games venues), Pinggu Jinhai Lake, etc; Visit the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the National Museum of China, the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum and other cultural heritage, feel China's long and profound historical and cultural deposits and unique charm, and have a deep understanding of China's protection, utilization, inheritance, innovation and other practices in culture, tourism, folklore, cultural heritage and other aspects. 

Fig11. Cheng Wei, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and vice president of BISU, presented the completion certificate to the students. 

Cheng Wei, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of BISU, and Liu Dake, Director of the Scientific Research Office of BISU attended the closing ceremony of the Seminar. Vice President Cheng Wei hoped to take this seminar as an opportunity to further strengthen academic exchanges, expand the scope of cooperation, jointly promote the prosperity and development of culture and tourism fields, and presented completion certificates to the participants of the training course. 

Fig12. Visiting China Unicom Innovation Experience Center 

Fig13. Ma Jianyu, Dean of the Tourism College of Shanghai Normal University, shared how to write high-level academic papers. 

It is reported that this seminar aims to build an exchange platform for experts and scholars from different countries to jointly discuss academic research and share scientific research experience, promote the collision of ideas, promote win-win cooperation, contribute to the joint training of high-level and international talents, and promote the development of culture and tourism in China and Central Asia. To contribute wisdom and strength to the building of a China-Central Asia community of shared future.