Minister urges support for rural, nomadic culture
Iran’s Culture Minister Abbas Salehi on Wednesday called for greater support for cultural and artistic activities in rural and nomadic areas, saying their traditions are central to the country’s identity.
In a message marking the National Day of Villages and Nomads, Salehi said his ministry was committed to supporting cultural and artistic activities in these areas, identifying local talent and creating more opportunities for them to participate in the country’s cultural life, IRIBNEWS reported.
“Iran cannot be reduced to its cities, historical monuments and cultural centers,” Salehi said.
He said much of Iran’s identity had been shaped in villages, tribal communities and along nomadic migration routes. “Generations have preserved the country’s culture, languages, arts, rituals and traditions through everyday life,” he said.
Salehi also pointed to the role of rural and nomadic communities in production and development.
He credited them with helping preserve Iran’s cultural and civilizational heritage and defend the country’s territory and borders. He said their ties to Iran had again been evident during sensitive periods in recent years, particularly during the 40-day war launched by the US and Israel in late February.
The minister said younger generations increasingly needed a living connection with Iran’s history and culture to understand their roots. Rural and nomadic traditions, dialects, music, handicrafts and indigenous ways of life, he said, are not simply remnants of the past but part of Iran’s cultural capital for the present and future.
Art, Salehi said, can bring this living heritage closer to younger generations and bring lesser-seen stories of rural and nomadic life into the broader culture.
He ended the message by congratulating Iran’s rural and nomadic communities and praising those whose cultural work and presence help keep “a part of Iran’s soul” alive.