Monday, July 7
A CARPET RIDE TO KHIVA
by Chris Asian
THE LECTURE​
Chris Aslan shares his journey of working with UNESCO to establish a silk carpet workshop in Khiva, Uzbekistan, home to the world's most homogenous Islamic architecture. His work led him to Afghan bazaars to source natural dyes and to European libraries and museums to revive 15th-century carpet designs from ancient manuscripts. Along the way, he transformed the lives of local women and became the largest private employer in the town.
THE LECTURER​
Chris Aslan, born in Turkey, studied Media and Journalism at Leicester University before moving to Uzbekistan to establish a UNESCO workshop, reviving traditional carpet designs. After being expelled during an anti-Western purge, he worked with yak herders in Tajikistan and later in Kyrgyzstan. Now based in Cambridge, he writes and lectures, with his latest book *Unravelling the Silk Road is published by Icon Books. Chris also takes tours to Central Asia, returning whenever he can, having left a large chunk of his heart out there.
ARRIVE FROM 6:15 PM | LECTURE 7 PM
CESSNOCK PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE
HELP SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF ART
Raffle tickets are sold at the door and cost $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00. Two winning tickets are drawn and the first winner takes the first pick. The raffle is drawn at the conclusion of the lecture.