Program for capacity development along the Silk Road
The program for capacity development along the Silk Road jointly conducted with China National Institute of Cultural Heritage(formerly the China National Institute of Cultural Property; restructured and renamed in February 2008)is now in its third year. This year the course on the protection of old buildings (first year of a two-year plan) will be held for three-and-a-half months in spring and that on the conservation of earthen structures (third year of a three-year plan) will be held for two months in autumn. This year, the spring course started a little earlier than usual, on April 3, to avoid the Beijing Olympics which will start on August 8. Twelve trainees from Xinjiang, Gansu, Qing Xiang, Ningxia, Shanxi, and Henan participate in the old buildings group. In the first year they will attend theoretical lectures and receive practical training in various types of investigations and the making of conservation plans in order to learn the basics necessary for the practical training in the work of conservation in which they will participate in the second year. The Palace Museum has provided a corner on the east side of Yihexuan within the Gugong Palace complex as a place for on-site training in the first year. During the three-and-a-half months, 10 Japanese lecturers will participate and work with Chinese lecturers.