United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Executive Board

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1 ex United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Executive Board Hundred and fifty-first Session 151 EX/11 PARIS, 24 March 1997 Original: English Item of the provisional agenda FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF COMPARATIVE CIVILIZATIONS AT TAKSHASCHILA (TAXILA, PAKISTAN) SUMMARY In 28 C/Resolution 3.7 the General Conference requested the Director-General to help Pakistan undertake a feasibility study on the establishment of an International Institute of Comparative Civilizations at Takshaschila (Taxila, Pakistan) and to submit the findings of that study to the Executive Board at one of its forthcoming sessions. The Director-General is submitting the present document to the Executive Board in pursuance of the above resolution. 1. In 28 C/Resolution 3.7, the General Conference recalled that the Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies in Asia (Yogyakarta, December 1973) stressed the fact that culture could not only add a new dimension to relations between states in the region, but also generate greater understanding and tolerance concerning each other s ways of life. It also recalled that the renowned centres of culture and learning which flourished in different parts of Asia were effective in promoting international cultural co-operation and that the revival of some of these centres and institutions would be invaluable for the close cultural collaboration and communication among peoples of the region. The General Conference took into consideration the fact that Pakistan was expressing keen interest in the revival of the centre of Takshaschila (Taxila), in the form of an institute for the comparative study of civilizations, creeds, cultures and languages. 2. Taking into account the above, and the fact that the proposed institute would be established in co-operation with UNESCO within the framework of the network of Silk Roads institutions with a view to collaborating actively with academic institutions in the region, such

2 151 EX/11 - page 2 Annex as the International Institute for Central Asian Studies (IICAS, Samarkand, Uzbekistan), as well as with institutions with similar objectives elsewhere in the world, at its twenty-eighth session the General Conference requested the Director-General to help Pakistan undertake a feasibility study on the establishment of an International Institute of Comparative Civilizations at Takshaschila (Taxila) and to submit the findings of that study to the Executive Board at one of its forthcoming sessions (28 C/Resolution 3.7). 3. In accordance with the above, the feasibility study was undertaken by Professor M. Mughal (Pakistan), former Director-General of Archaeology, Pakistan, and Professor T. Höllmann (Germany), University Professor, Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität, Munich (Germany), and reviewed by a group of specialists which met in Paris on 24 and 25 February Representatives of academic institutions and several Member States attended this meeting as observers (see annex). As proposed in the principles and guidelines set out in document 21 C/36 regarding the establishment and operation of international and regional centres under UNESCO s auspices, the feasibility study focused on the following points: the historically background of the Takshaschila Institute and its establishment in the present-day socio-cultural context; the basic objectives and functions of the institute; the type and structure of the institute; its relationship with other institutes; the necessary infrastructure (site, premises, etc.); funding sources. Historical background 4. The beautiful valley of Takshaschila, now known as Taxila, was a renowned centre of learning during ancient times. This well-known university played a leading role in the formation and the development of human institutions particularly in Asia for more than 1,000 years from the sixth century BC. Today, innumerable Buddhist religious and settlement sites which dot the valley of Taxila bear testimony to the great historical and cultural significance of this area. Taxila by virtue of its geographical location situating it between South Asia and Central Asia, was located on the ancient Silk Route, and as such was a crossroads of many cultures, religions and traditions. This gave a unique character to the culture of the Gandhara region, of which Taxila valley was an integral part, and which constitutes a rich historic legacy today. The establishment of an institute of higher learning at such a cultural and historical centre would provide continuity with the traditions of the ancient university of Takshaschila and would be in line with the principles and objectives of UNESCO, in particular relating to the promotion of education and cultural awareness among developing countries and to the strengthening of cooperation among Member States. 5. It should be added that the ancient remains of Taxila are on UNESCO s World Heritage List and fall within a Conservation Zone protected by the Government of Pakistan s Antiquities Act of 1975.

3 151 EX/11 - page 3 Basic objectives and functions of the proposed institute 6. The International Institute of Comparative Civilizations at Takshaschila (Taxila), Pakistan, aims: to provide a framework for the comparative study of civilizations, creeds, cultures and languages, in which scholars, and in particular young scholars, will be able to further their research in fields of common interest to countries of Central and South Asia and which help to promote intercultural collaboration in the regions concerned; to help overcome the isolationist stance of education systems; to provide the framework for the exploration, study, understanding and appreciation of the importance of links between the past, present and future, with an interdisciplinary approach. 7. The institute shall be primarily a research institute and a centre for advanced studies. Many disciplines are able to contribute substantially to the comparative study of civilizations, focusing on the regions along the Silk Roads, such as: Comparative study of religions History of religions Philosophy Buddhist studies Islamic studies Manichaeic studies Christianity Ancient history Medieval history Economic history Prehistory Archaeology Art history Anthropology Sociology Psychology Musicology Comparative linguistics Epigraphy Several philologies (from Sanskrit to Chinese). 8. However, since the majority of these disciplines belong to the fields of history, religious studies and philology, and that the nucleus of the institute should include at least three disciplines each representing one of the three fields, it has been recommended that to begin with the institute shall concentrate on archaeology, the comparative study of religions and languages.

4 151 EX/11 - page 4 Annex 9. The disciplines concerned cover areas much in line with the traditions of the ancient university of Takshaschila and with the principles and objectives of UNESCO, relating in particular to the education and cultural awareness in developing countries, thus strengthening co-operation among Member States and contributing to a culture of peace. 10. Concrete links between the institute and UNESCO will lead to results, from a twofold point of view: through the intellectual role that will be played by the institute in contributing to the execution of aspects of the new Programme for East-West Intercultural Dialogue in Central Asia, in particular relating to the International Research Programmes on Languages and Scripts along the Silk Roads, on Petroglyphs in Central Asia, on the Conservation and Rehabilitation of Caravanserais along the Silk Roads, as well as the promotion of cultural tourism, the success of which depends largely on the underlying scientific dimension (archaeology/preservation and conservation of sites and monuments/world Heritage List, etc.); through the potential impact of UNESCO s expected contribution upon the institute s activities, such as the articulation between young scholars working on research projects in the framework of the Hirayama Silk Roads Fellowships and other UNESCO fellowships, and the impetus provided by the academic and research institutions (School of Oriental and African Studies, London, Centre National de la Recherche Scientific, Paris, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, to mention but a few) collaborating in the activities which make up the Organization s new programme mentioned above. Type and structure 11. The institute shall be governed by a governing board which shall be an independent body responsible for the general management and for the general research policy of the institute. It shall have the authority over all financial and administrative matters related to the institute. Other responsibilities shall include appointing academic councils or committees as found necessary. The chief administrator or an administrative officer of the institute will act as secretary of the board which shall be composed of: the director of the institute a representative of UNESCO a representative of Pakistan three internationally renowned scholars from different countries a representative of the private donors. 12. The professional staff, at the beginning, shall be composed of a minimum of three scholars representing the three above disciplines, at least one of which could be a UNESCO Chair, and supported by the necessary administrative and technical staff. Research will also be carried out in co-operation with adjunct, honorary and visiting scholars.

5 151 EX/11 - page 5 Relationship with other institutes 13. The institute shall work in close collaboration with the International Institute for Central Asian Studies in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and other institutions which already participate in the scientific research network set up by the Silk Roads Project, such as the Indira Gandhi Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, India; the Buddhist Research Information Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka; the China Maritime Silk Roads Studies Centre, Fuzhou, China; the Nara International Centre for Silk Roads Studies, Nara, Japan; the International Research Centre on Nomadic Civilizations being set up in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, and the institute being set up in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in the field of social sciences, as well as with other institutions of a cultural or scientific nature. The institute shall further contribute to the international research programmes established in the framework of the Silk Roads Project. It is envisaged that networks of communication between various Silk Roads institutes will be joined to other centres throughout the world by electronic media. Necessary infrastructure 14. General situation: The Taxila valley itself is located next to the federal capital area of Islamabad on the main national highway and principal rail road, about 25 kilometres from Islamabad, which is also an international airport. Besides the ancient remains and monuments for which the area is famous, the modern town of Taxila, Wah and Hasan Abdal are also located in this fertile valley. 15. Premises: The Quid-e-Azam University of Islamabad has agreed in principle to provide space for the Takshaschila institute in its initial phase until the institute can move to a location in the historic Taxila valley, where a new infrastructure will be gradually developed within a period of around five years. Funding sources 16. The institute s resources shall derive from: the host country: Pakistan agrees in principle to the allocation of the land required in the Taxila valley and to provide financial support for the provision of a Chair, and will examine further contributions when detailed plans are finalized; contributions from UNESCO: for example, ordinary budget, participation programme, fellowships and study grants such as the Hirayama Silk Roads Fellowships (until 1999 inclusive), the UNESCO Chairs Programme, as well as from the World Heritage Fund; international governmental and non-governmental bodies for specific purposes; contributions from Member States, as well as from national, regional and international institutions; foundations and trusts; associate members (institutions of a cultural or scientific nature);

6 151 EX/11 - page 6 Annex funding agencies, United Nations system and others; fees for the use of the institute s facilities; sponsoring from the private sector. Conclusion 17. Among the dangers which lie in the wake of this era of new technologies and rapidly expanding communication techniques are the disappearance of many specific cultural features, the spread of cultural uniformity throughout the planet and an increasing lack of knowledge about cultures and civilizations other than one s own. This is therefore a time when great efforts should be made to further knowledge about different cultures and civilizations, on the one hand, and of the values shared by many different cultures and civilizations, on the other. This is an era when the promotion of the fundamental values of common heritage and cultural pluralism is a necessity, and the establishment of an International Institute of Comparative Civilizations in Taxila will play a major role in the fulfilment of this mandate. 18. This study comes to the conclusion that the establishment of an International Institute of Comparative Civilizations at Takshaschila (Taxila), Pakistan, is both feasible and highly desirable. It will offer concrete possibilities of furthering intercultural dialogue in the region of Central and South Asia, thus fulfilling one of the main objectives of the Silk Roads Project, and will constitute a major contribution to the building of a culture of peace. 19. If the Executive Board shares the conclusion of the present study, it would perhaps wish to adopt the following decision: The Executive Board, 1. Recalling 28 C/Resolution 3.7 in which the General Conference requests the Director-General to help Pakistan undertake a feasibility study on the establishment of an International Institute of Comparative Civilizations at Takshaschila (Taxila) and to submit the findings of that study to the Executive Board, 2. Having examined this study (151 EX/11), 3. Shares the conclusion of the study that the establishment of such an institute is both feasible and highly desirable; 4. Invites the Director-General to submit the study to twenty-ninth session of the General Conference; 5. Recommends the General Conference to authorize the Director-General to contribute to the establishment and running of the institute and to sign an agreement with the Government of Pakistan to this effect.

7 151 EX/11 Annex ANNEX MEETING OF EXPERTS TO EXAMINE THE OPPORTUNITY OF SETTING UP THE TAKSHASCHILA INSTITUTE (TAXILA, PAKISTAN), BASED ON THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES CARRIED OUT BY M. MUGHAL (PAKISTAN) AND T. HÖLLMANN (GERMANY) THE CONCLUSIONS OF WHICH WILL BE SUBMITTED AS THE OVERALL FEASIBILITY STUDY TO THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF UNESCO AT ITS 151st SESSION UNESCO, Paris, Room XVI, 24 and 25 February 1997 List of participants and observers 1. Participants Professor Mohammad Mughal (Pakistan) Pakistan Heritage Society, Lahore Former Director-General of Archaeology Pakistan Professor Thomas Höllmann (Germany) Professor, Ludwig-Maximillians Universität, Munich, Germany Professor Richard Frye (United States) Distinguished Professor Emeritus University of Harvard, United States Dr Ashraf Ahmedov (Uzbekistan) Director, International Institute for Central Asian Studies (IICAS) Samarkand, Uzbekistan H.E. Mr Khwaja S. Hosain Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Pakistan to UNESCO UNESCO House 2. UNESCO D. Diène Director, Division for Intercultural Projects G. Larminaux Division for Intercultural Projects Silk Roads Project S. Okajima Director, Bureau for External Relations Asia and Pacific Section N. Dergatcheff Chargé de liaison Bureau for External Relations, Asia and Pacific Section Mme I. Iskender-Mochiri Sector for Culture, General Histories Section 3. Observers Mr Corneille Jest Director of Research Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Paris Society, Environmental and Cultural Spheres in the Himalaya - UPR 299 Representatives of Permanent Delegations to UNESCO of countries concerned China Mr Tian Jianping

8 151 EX/11 Annex - page 2 India H.E. Mr Chiranjn Singh Ambassador, Permanent Delegate and Dr Neena Third Secretary Iran, Islamic Republic of Mr M. Mottaghi-Nejad Counsellor Japan Mr Hiroshi Yoshimuto First Secretary Korea, Democratic People s Republic of Mr Kim Jae Hon and Mr Ri Kyong il Third Secretary Korea, Republic of Mr Yoo Jung-Hee Counsellor Mongolia Mr R. Altangerel Third Secretary Nepal Mr S. Suman Minister Counsellor Pakistan Dr Aman Rashid Minister Dr R.A. Siyal Sri Lanka Dr P. Viya Sekere Counsellor and Dr T. Dhammraka Turkey Mr Uludüz Third Secretary