Diplomacy Journal Lee Gil-ju 기자 | On March 18, 2026, the Korea–Central Asia Cooperation Forum hosted the "Korea–Central Asia Cultural Heritage Cooperation: Nowruz Book Publication Ceremony" to great success. The event went beyond a simple celebration of the publication of a book documenting the traditions of Nowruz — the greatest holiday of Central Asia and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity — to serve as a grand stage for cultural diplomacy: one that expressed hope for the successful convening of the historic "1st Korea–Central Asia Summit" scheduled for this September, and that consolidated the strategic solidarity between the two sides.

In attendance at the publication ceremony were Choi Bo Keum, Executive Director of the Korea Heritage Service; Rhee Jong-kook, Secretary-General of the Korea–Central Asia Cooperation Forum; and the ambassadors to Korea of all five Central Asian nations (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), who together proclaimed to the world the cultural values they share and their shared will to cooperate ahead of the summit.

Vice Administrator Choi Bo Keum said: "Nowruz is a precious heritage common to all humanity, celebrating the revival of nature and the birth of life," and added that "this publication will play a major role in reaffirming the deep bonds between the two regions forged along the Silk Road, and in building the emotional common ground needed for the September summit."

Executive Director Rhee also emphasized that "we are systematically preparing to ensure that the outcomes of the summit are translated into concrete follow-up projects," and stressed that "cultural and people-to-people exchanges before and after the summit are the core that makes cooperation between the two regions sustainable." He made clear that this is a pivotal moment for realizing the government's Central Asia-focused strategy, the "K-Silk Road" Cooperation Initiative.

All five ambassadors attended and introduced their countries' distinctive Nowruz traditions, speaking in unison about the festival's values of peace, renewal, and harmony:

• Nurgali Arystanov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan: Underscored that Nowruz symbolizes the harmony between nature and humanity across the Eurasian continent, and conveyed that these traditional values will remain central to Kazakhstan's process of building a new constitutional order.
• Aida Ismailova, Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan: Defined Nowruz as a vehicle for transmitting across generations the friendship, mutual understanding, and respect for elders embodied by one's ancestors, and assessed that the book's publication had opened a new horizon for humanistic and cultural dialogue between the two sides.
• Kirom Salohiddin Amriddinzoda, Ambassador of Tajikistan: Introduced the 6,000-year history of Nowruz — which means "new day" in Tajik — and described how humanity draws inspiration and strength during the festival through the "tradition of compassion," which includes visiting orphans and the elderly.
• Begench Durdyyev, Ambassador of Turkmenistan: Referenced the festivals of the Kopet Dag mountains and the nation's prized Akhal-Teke horses, and conveyed that the September summit will be a gathering of resolve to build a forward-looking framework for cooperation.
• Alisher Abdusalomov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan: Identified Nowruz as a symbol of the national resilience that the people have maintained even through the most difficult of times, and expressed confidence that the ceremony had played a major role in building cultural common ground between the two sides ahead of the summit.

Following the ambassadors, Professor Hee Soo Lee, Distinguished Professor at Hanyang University, shed deep light on Nowruz as a "Shared Cultural Heritage" that transcends religion and ideology. Professor Lee said, "Nowruz is a seasonal festival rooted in Mesopotamian civilization that carries forward the Zoroastrian spirit of 'the triumph of light,'" emphasizing that, unlike the artificial January 1st, it marks the true beginning of the new year in accordance with the laws of nature and the cosmos.

He also stressed that Nowruz is the essence of "communal harmony," celebrated together by people of diverse faiths in Central Asia — including Islam, Zoroastrianism, and Shamanism. Introducing specific examples such as the Haft-sin (seven symbolic items) tradition and the making of Sumalak (a wheat-sprout porridge), he emphasized that the spirit of "co-prosperity and harmony" embodied by Nowruz is a message humanity urgently needs in this era of division and conflict.

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre (ICHCAP) explained in detail the background of this publication — Nowruz: Traditions Along the Silk Road — as well as the Centre's ongoing effort to build the ICHLinks digital database of intangible cultural heritage information from Central Asia.

A representative noted that "Nowruz is a landmark example of a joint UNESCO inscription by 13 countries," and that "this book is the product of deep reflection by experts from each country on the commonalities and differences of Nowruz and its role in modern society." The Centre highlighted that over the past decade or more it has cooperated with four countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan — to produce over 40 documentaries and build a vast data archive, which is now shared globally through the ICHLinks platform. This serves as a foundation not only for systematically preserving the intangible heritage of Central Asia, but also for connecting it with modern creative industries (tourism, design, etc.) to generate economic and social value.

The "1st Korea–Central Asia Summit" scheduled for this September will be the first summit-level meeting involving Korea and all five Central Asian nations (C5), and is expected to serve as a historic turning point that elevates relations between the two sides to the level of "strategic partners."

The five participating nations — Kazakhstan (largest economy, energy partner), Uzbekistan (special strategic partner, largest population), Kyrgyzstan (water resources, tourism, people-to-people exchange), Tajikistan (ancient culture, infrastructure cooperation), and Turkmenistan (natural gas, neutral state) — each bring different strengths and characteristics, and the summit will be an opportunity to complete a multi-layered cooperation network with all of them.

The summit carries the strategic significance of

securing a key bridgehead for supply chain security in a region of rising geopolitical tension. Establishing a stable resource supply chain with Central Asia — which is rich in critical minerals such as lithium, uranium, and rare earth elements — is essential for strengthening Korea's economic security. Furthermore, by completing a summit-level network with Central Asia following ASEAN and the Pacific Island nations, Korea will broaden the horizons of multilateral diplomacy and secure a central foothold in Eurasian diplomacy.

This ceremony held deep significance in having taken the bonds of the past forged along the Silk Road and developed them into a modern strategic partnership, using the September summit as a turning point and laying the groundwork for sustainable cooperation through culture and people-to-people exchange.

Korea and Central Asia are expected to continue cooperating on the protection and transmission of cultural heritage, building the framework for sustainable cooperation through cultural and human exchange. The September 2026 summit is anticipated to serve as the opening salvo of a "New Eurasian Cooperation Era" in which Korea pursues future growth together with the land of opportunity that is Central Asia.

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(Translated by AI, edited by David Kendall)