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International Symposium "The Present State of the Bamiyan Ruins" Held

On Sunday, September 28, 2025, an international symposium entitled "The Present State of the Bamiyan Ruins" (hosted by Teikyo University, co-hosted by UNESCO, and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) was held at the Tokyo Institute of Cultural Properties for Cultural Properties (Taito-ku, Tokyo) regarding the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Cultural Landscape and Ancient Monuments of the Bamiyan Valley."
The event opened with opening remarks from Teikyo University Chairman Yoshihito Okinaga, UNESCO Program Officer Brendan Cassar, and Chiaki Kaplan, Assistant Director of the International Cultural Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event then moved on to the first part of the lecture series. Professor Kazuya Yamauchi, from the University's Institute of Cultural Properties for Cultural Properties, delivered a keynote speech entitled "Bamiyan: 20 Years and Now." He explained the history of the Bamiyan site, including the destruction of Buddhist statues by the Taliban, international cooperation for heritage preservation, and changes to the cultural landscape due to infrastructure development. Brendan Cassar then delivered a speech entitled "UNESCO's Conservation Activities in Afghanistan," in which he spoke about the importance of not only protecting the site but also creating jobs in the tourism industry and improving the lives of local residents. In the second part of the event, Professor Yoko Taniguchi from the University of Tsukuba, conservation and restoration expert Fabio Colombo, and Professor Mirella Loda from the University of Florence each gave a presentation on the restoration of the Bamiyan site from their respective expert perspectives. The third part of the event was moderated by Ryukoku University Professor Shunpei Iwai, and featured a panel discussion titled "New Approaches Emerging from the Expert Meeting." The panel discussion covered a wide range of topics, including experiences during the deterioration of security in Afghanistan, concerns about overtourism by the tourism industry, employment for local people, and how to engage with the Taliban regime.
Professor Yamauchi gave the closing remarks, saying, "I hope that we have been able to convey that experts continue to conduct research and protect the site with passion. I hope that this will provide an opportunity for further discussion about the Bamiyan ruins." The symposium came to a successful close. Teikyo University will continue to give back its diverse knowledge to society and provide opportunities for learning to many people.

For more information about Research Institute of Cultural Properties, Teikyo University click here
For more information about Professor Yamauchi, click here

Photo: Daisuke Fukuda

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