BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. 2026, an international experience exchange program titled “Turkic Restoration and Conservation Laboratories Network” was launched in Ankara at the initiative of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, and supported by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Turkic World Foundation, TurkicWorld reported.
Taking place from 9 to 13 February, the program brings together specialists in restoration and conservation from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Hungary, and Turkmenistan. The first day of the program began with sessions held at the Ankara Regional Restoration and Conservation Laboratory, aimed at strengthening professional cooperation among the participating countries. Activities will continue in Ankara and Istanbul.
Guardians of Turkic Heritage Under One Roof
At the opening ceremony, Nuri Aksu, Project Manager of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, emphasized the strategic importance of the program for the preservation of Turkic cultural heritage and expressed gratitude to all partner institutions involved in its implementation. This was followed by remarks from Serkan Gedük, Head of the Museums Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Cengiz Özduyğulu, Director of the Ankara Regional Restoration and Conservation Laboratory, who highlighted the significance of Türkiye’s institutional and scientific experience in this field. The opening ceremony concluded with an address by Elina Altınbekova, Coordinator of the Turkic World Restoration and Conservation Network and Director of the Ostrov Krym Laboratory.
Eleven Regional Laboratories and Nearly Half a Century of Experience
Cengiz Özduyğulu later delivered an extensive presentation outlining the development of Türkiye’s restoration and conservation laboratories from the 1980s to the present day. The presentation covered:
• Institutional Structure: The institutional framework of eleven regional laboratories operating throughout Türkiye under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as well as their coordination with the regions;
• Areas of Expertise: The scientific research conducted in analytical laboratories on various materials—paper, textiles, wood, ceramics, stone, and metal;
• Fieldwork: fieldwork carried out in museums and archaeological sites, illustrated through visual materials demonstrating the condition of exhibits before and after treatment.
Seven Countries, a Shared Goal
Within the framework of the five-day program, experts from the participating countries will examine
conservation methods based on scientific approaches;
issues of preventive conservation;
risk management, and ways to enhance technical capacity.
Following the events in Ankara, the program will continue with laboratory visits and technical briefings in Istanbul and will conclude on 13 February with a working seminar to be held at the Hekimbaşı Hunting Pavilion in the Ümraniye district, organized by the Turkic World Foundation.
The main objective of the project is to establish a sustainable network of experts in the field of restoration and conservation of Turkic heritage and to further strengthen international cooperation in this area.
