Under the joint auspices of the President of Kyrgyzstan, Askar Akayev, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, a High-Level Conference on the theme “Eurasia in the 21st Century - Dialogue of Cultures or Conflict of Civilizations?” will be held in Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan on 10 and 11 June 2004.

The event will specifically focus on the topics of shared values, cultural diversity and heritage, as well as water and sustainable development. Drawing on the regional and interregional specificities and their future potential, while bearing in mind the impact of overall global developments, the High-Level Conference will seek to strengthen and sustain cooperation between Central Asian and neighbouring countries. The overall aim is to open up new avenues for a policy dialogue and draw lessons from past experiences, while pursuing concrete and practical action in various fields addressed by this dialogue.

A number of eminent personalities and experts have been invited, drawing on national and international policy-making and academic and scientific expertise as well as religious and spiritual leaders.