The Silk & Silk Road Exhibition kicked off in Prague on August 19, 2022. The event was co-hosted by the Chinese embassy in Prague and China National Silk Museum (NSM), which coincides with the hosting of the 26th ICOM (International Council of Museums) General Conference held in Prague this year. ICOM, the only global museum association in the world, is made up from more than 49,000 members representing 142 countries and territories.

At the invitation of the organizers, several guests from the ICOM attended the opening ceremony, including ICOM Asia-Pacific Committee chairman Kidong Bae, ICOM-International Committee for Museums of Ethnography chairman Ralf Čeplak Mencin, ICOMInternational Committee for Architecture and Museum Techniques chairman Nana Meparishvili, ICOM Mongolia chairman Bumaa Dashdendendev, ICOM South Africa chairman Catherine Snel, ICOM-Venezuela secretary general Lic. Nathiam Vega and ICOM India member. Small but exquisite, they highly appreciate the form of the exhibition, which represents an excellent example for small size exhibition in the museum community.

NSM, the world's largest silk museum, exhibits a rich and exquisite collection of silk objects at the exhibition with only three boxes from China. Divided into three sections, Silk Technology, Silk Art and the Silk Road, the event provides a detailed introduction to the origin of silk in China, the production process of the material, silk patterns and various derivatives, in addition to showing how silk became a commodity highly valued and sought after the world over following the formation of the Silk Road. Over 30 exhibits and a large number of images relating to silk will be on display, giving Czech visitors an opportunity to understand the origin of the prized material, appreciate the beauty of the natural protein fiber and experience China’s Jiangnan culture.

“China and the Czech Republic have established friendly relations in terms of cultural exchanges, and this is my fourth visit to Prague,” said NSM honorary director Zhao Feng, when delivering a speech at the ceremony. The Silk and Silk Road exhibition highlights China's long and rich silk culture as well as the significant role that silk played in the cultural exchanges between China and other countries and regions worldwide, alongside the achievements and progress made in recent years by CNSM and the wider Chinese museum community in

archaeological research, conservation of cultural artifacts, inheritance of traditional culture, and collaborations with international museums.

The Silk and Silk Road Exhibition, open at no charge to the public, will continue until August 26, 2022.