The visit combined consultations at government level, work in museum collections and meetings with the local artistic community.

At the State Historical Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic the delegation met the museum’s director, Nazgul Omurzakova. Discussions covered attribution, conditions of display and the expansion of international scholarly exchange. The Foundation’s research team was given access to the museum’s open and restricted storage to study rare examples of material culture and textiles.

At the Government House of the Kyrgyz Republic the delegation met Arslan Koichiev, Adviser to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, to discuss institutional support for the forthcoming project and the integration of the Foundation’s research programme into the study of Great Silk Road heritage.

The delegation also visited the Chinghiz Aitmatov House Museum, where it met the writer’s son, Eldar Aitmatov, and made a series of visits to the studios of leading contemporary artists in Bishkek.

Details of the joint project and the schedule of exhibition programmes will be announced separately.