Iran Culture Week opens new horizon on Tehran-Moscow ties: Minister
In an effort to enhance cultural relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation, Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili, arrived in Moscow on Tuesday to participate in the events of Iran Culture Week.
The visit comes after a year of negotiations between the officials of the Ministry and their Russian counterparts, paving the way for new cultural interactions between the two countries.
The event began on July 4 and will conclude on July 9, according to IRNA.
Speaking at the opening of his visit at Vnukovo International Airport, Esmaeili stated, “This trip was planned upon the invitation of the Russian Minister of Culture to attend Iran Culture Week in this country.”
He further emphasized the longstanding history of good neighborliness and shared cultural heritage between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation, expressing the need for increased cultural cooperation.
Referring to the meetings between Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in previous years, Esmaeili highlighted the emphasis placed on the development of cultural relations.
He expressed hope that his visit, along with the organization of Iran Culture Week in Russia, would initiate a fresh era of robust cultural collaboration in various fields.
Esmaeili mentioned the past visits of Iranian cultural deputies, media representatives, and the head of the Cinema Organization of Iran to Moscow.
He described the current readiness of both countries to establish a strong interactive environment as a result of extensive bilateral negotiations.
“With the planned agenda and the topics to be discussed in negotiations with the Russian side during this trip, we hope to witness positive agreements and a significant advancement in cultural interactions between the two countries,” said the Iranian minister.
On Wednesday, the Iranian minister will hold an official meeting with his Russian counterpart and participate in a joint press conference. Other activities during his visit include meetings with the cultural adviser to President Vladimir Putin, prominent Iranologists and Islamic scholars in Russia, the president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and delivering a speech at the Scientific Councils of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
During his stay, Esmaeili will meet with the governor of St. Petersburg and visit the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which houses a rich collection of Iranian manuscripts and artworks registered with UNESCO. The official program of the minister’s visit will conclude with his attendance at an Iranian classical music concert at the Capella Concert Hall in St. Petersburg.
Iran Culture Week in Russia encompasses five sections, including exhibitions of traditional Iranian arts, Persian carpets, a joint performance by Iran’s National Orchestra and the Russian National Youth Symphony Orchestra, and film screenings and animations.