Chinese-funded Course Preserves Afghanistan Cultural Heritages

Kabul: Local archaeologist Mohammad Ali Hasanyar is teaching local children on how to preserve the world’s priceless civilization in front of the Buddha site in central Afghanistan’s Bamyan Valley, where stands the famous Buddh as of Bamyan.

Bamyan province is famous for many cultural heritages, particularly the two widely-known giant Buddh as. In 2003, the cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamyan Valley was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The people, many of whom even migrated into caves as a result of years of war and economic misery, however, know nothing about the neighbouring World Cultural Heritage.

Hasanyar’s courses are founded and guided by a group of young scholars from China’s Peking University, Lanzhou University, Wenzhou University, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the Hong Kong-based non-profit Friends of Dunhuang.

Friends of Dunhuangmember Shao Xuecheng said that bread was given out to children from low-income households as an invitation to the training sessions on pertinent knowledge.

The archaeology course, which meets once a week, has 37 enrolled students and the pupils are taught how to maintain historical civilizations and cultural legacies, said Hasanyar.

Mohammad Ali believed that these Chinese-funded courses are a useful tool for raising public awareness of the need to safeguard cultural assets. It is a very essential effort since “we have to start with children first if we want to build a mentality in the society to safeguard cultural heritages,” he added.

“I like coming here very much since our teacher has educated us a lot about the Buddha site. I am aware that they are important global cultural treasures that must be preserved right away,” remarked student Hamid..

The majority of the caves close to the Buddha site have been formally numbered and fitted with introduction nameplates thanks to particular recommendations and financial assistance from Chinese researchers.

“Chinese experts have done an excellent job maintaining cultural heritages here, and we are grateful to them,” said Information and Culture of Bamyan province Provincial Director Saifulrahman Mohammadi.