Iran’s arts, culture flourishing: Minister
Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili highlighted the flourishing arts and culture sector during a press conference held in Tehran on January 13.
He emphasized that despite facing challenges, the government is taking significant steps to support the livelihoods and well-being of artists through various programs.
Esmaeili discussed the ministry’s initiatives amid the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that cultural, artistic, and media activities were affected by the pandemic, farhang.gov.ir reported.
Regarding the ministry’s performance, Esmaeili highlighted efforts to improve budgets and infrastructure, allocating nearly $180 million for cultural and artistic development projects.
He emphasized a special focus on rural areas as part of their current plans.
Speaking about the 42nd Fajr International Film Festival, Esmaeili noted that over 100 films have been submitted, with evaluations reflecting qualitative growth in various genres.
Esmaeili also discussed the government’s role, shifting from control to facilitation, and collaborations with the private sector.
He expressed satisfaction with the fact that over half of the Iranian films in the Fajr International Film Festival were associated with the private sector, indicating economic growth in the cinema industry.
The minister addressed the significance of visual arts, stating that plans are underway to enhance the visual arts sector, including calligraphy, photography, sculpture, and the like.
Esmaeili touched upon cooperation with Turkey, acknowledging the shared cultural heritage between the two nations and ongoing collaborations in the field of arts and culture.
He also emphasized the cultural ties with Afghanistan, expressing support for Afghan artists and ongoing media collaborations while emphasizing the sensitivity towards preserving Afghanistan’s cultural heritage.