It is with profound sadness that the
SEECHAC has learned the death of Professor Ikuo Hirayama at the age
of 79.

Professor Hirayama was a recognized
painter and public personality.

He was also an advocate of peace and
dialogue between cultures, as well as an activist for the preservation
of world’s cultural heritage, recognized for his work on the Silk
Road and the Buddhism.

Ambassador of goodwill of UNESCO since
1989, the Professor Hirayama ensured the promotion of the preservation
of the temples Angkor in Cambodia, Mogao Caves in China, Buddhist monuments of Bamiyan in Afghanistan and the Koguryo tombs ensemble of North Korea.

He has also funded Ikuo Hirayama fellowship
program which gives scholarships to 100 young researchers from around
the world doing researches on the Silk Roads.

This is a great loss to the international
community of curators, restorers and artists.