Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Training for 22 tourist guides from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan from November 22-26, 2021. The event is held within the framework of the project "Silk Road Heritage Corridors in Afghanistan, Central Asia and Iran - International Dimension of the European Year of Cultural Heritage" implemented by UNESCO with the financial support of the European Union.

The training in Samarkand is the culmination of the “WFTGA Hands on Tourist Guiding (HOT) Training for the Silk Roads Heritage Guides”, which was launched online in August 2020 in partnership with the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA).

The goal of the course is to help tourist guides interpret the cultural and natural heritage along the Silk Roads.

Tourist Guides are ambassadors for their countries and cities / destinations and are often a visitor’s only local contact during their stay in a foreign country. While interpreting sites and imparting valuable knowledge, guides create memories for visitors, leaving lifelong impressions and influencing travelers’ behavior and opinions of a destination. Guides are in a unique position to provide an authentic, local perspective and experience on a country and culture, promote cultural understanding and peace.

Tourist guides along the Silk Road play an important role in keeping alive the history and astounding cultures of the region. In order to be able to play their role fully, guides in the Silk Road countries need to understand the overall history and culture of the Silk Road, as well as to be able to conduct guided tours in a professional manner, keeping with international standards.

After completing the course, the guides plan to actively help visitors and tourists understand the diverse historical and cultural value of the Silk Road. As part of the course, a training handbook for Silk Road guides has been published in English and Russian.