El primer taller de SSCC titulado "Nuevas iniciativas de la Ruta de la Seda y SSCC" se celebró en Chabahar, Irán, el 25 de enero de 2017 con la colaboración de la Universidad Allameh Tabataba’i, Teherán. El taller fue el resultado de un intento juicioso del grupo de trabajo de Asuntos Euroasiáticos de SSCC para formular puentes de colaboración entre SSCC y varias iniciativas de la Ruta de la Seda y para proponer soluciones a los obstáculos que existen en la construcción de estos puentes.

1. Report on First workshop of SSCC
Prepared by Dr. Punit Gaur*
The first workshop of SSCC entitled “New Silk Road initiatives and SSCC” was held in Chabahar,
Iran on 25th
January 2017 with the collaboration of Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran. The
workshop was the result of a judicious attempt by working group of Eurasian Affairs of SSCC to
formulate bridges for collaboration in between SSCC and various Silk Road initiatives and to
propose solutions for obstacles which exist in building these bridges. Professor Akbota
Zholdasbekova from Kazakhstan, Head of the Working group of the Eurasian Affairs, chaired the
workshop. She focused on the need to formulate steps for increasing the interaction between
all countries on Silk Road and SSCC through all possible sources. Dr. Mandana Tishehyar from
Iran co-chaired the workshop. She also stressed the need and requirement to concentrate on
institutional level partnerships between the SSCC and countries on Silk Road. Dr. Irfan Shahzad
from Pakistan also presented his views on the role the SSCC can play in strengthening the
relationship between southern countries of Silk Road for various research activities like
conferences, exchange of research scholars etc. Dr. Seyit Ali Avcu from Turkey also focused on
appraisal of systematic and quantitative practices in research on South-South Cooperation and
Silk Road concepts. Dr. Punit Gaur from India empahsized the imperative need to have a new
vision on South-South cooperation through Silk Road initiatives and organizing universal
support for South-South cooperation.
Dr. Lee Fuquan, Visiting scholar to Allameh Tabataba’i University and Associate Professor at
Northwest University, China was invited as chief guest for the workshop. He also highlighted
the significance of SSCC as an institute for South-South Cooperation within various Silk Road
initiatives and recognized that a number of ideas iproposed were n line with the objectives of
the SSCC. Viktor Sebek, chairman of SSCC joined the workshop online for concluding remarks.
He expressed his gratitude to all the participants of the workshop and focused on development
the idea of South-South cooperation with various initiatives of Silk Road through SSCC in future.

2. All the participants issued the following statement:
Ø We recognize that the Silk Road, which enabled vibrant trade between Europe and Asia
thousand years ago , is gaining importance again. As it crosses some of the regions
which are in conflict or facing serious crisis, it is important that commercial links are
accompanied by efforts to strengthen peace and reconciliation as SSCC is striving to do
worldwide.
Ø We also reaffirm our belief that there is a considerable value in south-south cooperation
bearing in mind that those countries have a great deal in common in terms of their
social, economic and cultural development. Just as we are currently working on the
plight of indigenous people in Colombia and the experiences of reconciliation in South
Africa and their possible replication in Colombia and peace initiatives in Kashmir and
other regions, we wish to make a contribution towards development of Silk Road which
would at the same time promote peace and tolerance.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....
*Dr. Punit Gaur is Visiting professor at Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan. He is
one of the members of working group of Eurasian affairs, South-South Council for Sustainable
Development (SSCC)