DUSHANBE, December 14, Asia-Plus - Cultural Center Bactria in Dushanbe today marks its 5 ^th anniversary.

Amal Khanum Gadjiyeva, the Center coordinator for cultural and external ties, said in an interview with Asia-Plus that the main objective of Center Bactria is to promote development of culture of Tajikistan, help foreigners familiarize themselves with culture of Tajik people.  Center Bactria has become a place of dialogue between cultures, according to her. 

Gadjiyeva noted that over the past five years, the center had organized a number of exhibitions of painters from Ukraine, Mongolia, the United States and other countries.  “Practically all Tajik painters have put their works on display in exhibitions organized by the center,” she said, noting that the center has also organized educational courses on study of English, German and French languages.  According to her, more than 2,000 people have taken these courses over the past five years. 

“Besides, we have organized a Russian-language study course for foreigners as well as an educational center for studying the Spanish language,” Gadjiyeva said.  She added that with support of Japan’s embassy in Dushanbe Center Bactria had opened computer-training course.       

Center Bactria has also taken an active part in restoration of statue of Buddha and frescoes from Panjakent, which are currently kept in Tajikistan’s National Museum of Antiquities in Dushanbe. 

The main celebrations to mark the 5th anniversary of the establishment of Cultural Center Bactria will be held Saturday, December 16.  A photo show telling a five-year activity of Center Bactria will be organized. 

Cultural Center Bactria is a project supported by the Agency fore Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED).  

The Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development is an apolitical, and non-confessional international relief agency created in Afghanistan.  The first projects were initiated in Kabul in 1993 to bring relief to populations affected by more than 15 years of conflict.  ACTED activities then rapidly expanded to the entire country and subsequently to neighboring countries in 1996 (namely Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan), with the aim of developing a regional strategy throughout Central Asia.