CULTUSERI 2025 - BACSA and ARACNE Project International Conference

The State Silk Museum hosted the 11th BACSA and ARACNE Project International Conference, CULTUSERI 2025, held in Tbilisi from 16–21 November 2025. The event brought together an international delegation from 13 countries, including researchers and institutional representatives from Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Spain, China, Japan, India, Germany, Turkey, Switzerland, Romania, and Georgia.

Organized jointly by Black, Caspian Seas and Central Asia Silk Association (BACSA), and the Horizon Europe ARACNE Project, hosted by the State Silk Museum, in collaboration with the Agriculture University of Georgia, the Georgian Scientific-Research Center for Agriculture, the the conference addressed current research and heritage-related issues within the broader field of sericulture.

This year’s edition examined a wide spectrum of topics, including traditional sericulture knowledge and cultural heritage:

mulberry biodiversity and ecological resilience

Genetic research of Bombyx mori

creative industries and silk-based design

cultural tourism and museum strategies

new sustainable models for rural development and silk craft revival

The conference also highlighted cutting-edge ARACNE research on mulberry mapping, germplasm preservation, educational pilots, innovative sericulture technologies, and cross-sector collaboration. The academic programme reflected the growing relevance of silk studies within interdisciplinary cultural, agricultural, and scientific frameworks.

During the conference week, delegates participated in field visits to the Agricultural University of Georgia and the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture. The conference participants also visited the State Silk Museum, where they explored the museum’s collections, archives, and the contemporary programs developed within the framework of the Horizon Europe ARACNE project. The museum additionally hosted an ARACNE project working meeting, during which partners discussed ongoing research directions and planned the next steps.

As one of the oldest specialized institutions, the State Silk Museum remains a key center of cultural heritage, scientific research, and sericulture studies. Hosting CULTUSERI 2025 once again affirms the museum’s role and its international significance.