Kashmir University (KU) Vice-Chancellor, Prof Reyaz
Punjabi on Thursday chaired a special session on Kashmir at the 4-day international conference titled "Dynamics and Revival of Silk-Route: Perspective, Challenges and Opportunities."
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Punjabi said the revival of Silk Route with special reference to Kashmir has a great significance for the peace and stability in the South Asian regions. "It is high time to assess the economic gains leading to human security and peace among India and Pakistan," he said, adding that China and Pakistan in general and Kashmir in particular would accrue with the revival of this route.
The V-C said that with the onset of globalization, the revival of
Silk Route has a great potential to accelerate the processes of
globalization in South Asia. "There is urgency to open up this road up to Gilgit and beyond on the one side and through Ladakh on the other," Prof Punjabi said.
He said the revival of these routes would give a boost to the trade,
business and commerce of Kashmir. The conference is being organized by the KU’s Centre of Central Asian Studies.
In his presentation, the director, CCAS, highlighted the economic
gains to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Kashmir with the
revival of Silk-Route. "The revival of silk route can have great
economic benefits to all these regions," he said in his presentation titled "Structure and Revival of Silk Route across Kashmir."
Noted historian, Prof Muhammad Ishaq Khan dwelt at length on the Silk Route and Kashmiri Identity Consciousness. Others who spoke in the special session included Dr Aijaz Ahmad Banday, Prof G M Mir, Prof GR Jan and Dr Aafaq Aziz of the CCAS.
Earlier, experts from different parts of the world discussed the
global importance of the Silk-Route and the role it played in building different Central Asian regions. More than 20 papers were presented on various aspects of Silk-Route on 2nd day of the conference, which is being attended by scholars of eminence from different parts of Central Asia.
In his paper titled "Nisapur on the Silk Route ", a professor of
Eurasian Studies at the University of Mumbai, highlighted the role
Silk-route played in the development of Nisa, an ancient city on the
Turkman territory. "Due to centrality of its location along the
Silk-Route, all sorts of trade like handicrafts, agriculture, textile
and so on flourished in the city," said Prof. PL Dash.
All these activities, Dash added, facilitated further growth of Nisa
as the city development a lot in terms of infrastructure.
Prof Valeriy S Khan of the Academy of Sciences and Uzbekistan said the Silk-Road was of global importance. "Firstly, the Great Silk Road was the first in the history of humanity integration model of the international trading-cultural long-distance communications based on the account of interests of the various states (in modern sense of the word)," he said in his paper titled "The Golbal Importance of the Great Silk Road."
Valeriy said the interest of restoration of the Great Silk Road was
associated with expansion of tourism along its routes. "It is one of
the most attractive routes and largest in the world, having 12800 kms in extent," he said, adding that since 1994, the World Trade
Organisation has initiated international meetings, seminars and
projects on the "Great Silk-Road."
The Director, Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethanology at
Almaty, Kazakhstan, said that Kazakistan was located on the Great
Silk Route and had paid attention to the problems of its revival. "The search of arguments in this direction became one of the priorities for Kazakhstan. The focus is on the revival of the cultural aspects of the Silk Route ," Prof Sattar F Mazhitov said in his presentation, " Silk Route and Kazakhstan: A Historical Perspective."
Azad Shamatov, Professor and Head, South Asian Languages at the Institute of Oriental Studies, Tashkent, said the ledgendary Silk
Route played an outstanding role as the cultural bridge among
civilizations, including Central Asia and India.
Shamatov, in his presentation titled " Silk Route and its Contribution to the exchange of Folk-Tradition between India and Central Asia" highlighted several modes of historical interactions between the regions in the sphere of folklore with special emphasis on Kashmir, Sindhi, Punjabi and Uzbek literary traditions. Dr Shi Lan from the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences, Institute of Central Asia, Urmchi China, stressed on the role Xinjiang can play in the re-construction of modern age Silk-Route in her presentation titled "Silk Route Structure: The contribution of Xinjiang to its Growth."
Prof Tian Weijiang from China gave a presentation on the "Review of Archive Materials about Marc Aurel Stein Stored in Xinjiang Local
Archives". He highlighted the multi-dimensional personality of
Archaeologist Marc Aurel Stein, and his tremendous contribution in
the field of archaeology and culture of Kashmir, India and Central
Asia.
Others who presented their papers included Chinara Rustomova from Turkmenistan (Turkmenistan on the Silk Route: Past and Present); Prof Zardy Khan Kinayadyly (The Silk Route Under the Mongols); Dr Mahesh Ranjan Debata (Importance of Turfan as a Silk route City: A Historical Perspective); Zianura Rysalieva (Kyrgyz Diaspora in the countries of Great Silk Road: Holistic Profile); Prof Meruyert Abusseitov (Silk Route: Inter-relation of Cultures): Prof Dilorom Alimova (Heritage of Great Silk Road and Uzbekistan); Prof Valeria Piancentiei Fioran (The Contribution of Silk Route to Religious Syncretism: Its Reflection on Painting and Architecture during 14th to 17th centuries); Dr Jean Marc Arakelian (Silk Road as an inspiration to a Specific Mughal Artist); Dr Ranjana Mishra (Buddhism Along the Silk Route), Prof Ismagulov Orazak (Ethno-anthropological Aspects of the Silk Route in Kazakhstan); Prof Valeiry Khan (The Revival of Great Silk Road in the context of Globalisation); Prof Gulshan Dietl, Prof Hafeez Malik, Dr Bushra Hameed, Prof Bolat Tatibekov, Dr Nicklas Norling, Prof Iihan Sahin, Tajamul Hussain, Dr GM Shah.
previous article: First bomb disposal robot unveiled in Philippines.
next article: Votes Count
Leave Your Comments