The number of countries working on their intangible heritage has risen dramatically in recent years, and consequentially an intangible heritage convention is being drafted, said Head of the Tehran Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) center Yadollah Parmoun.
“Intangible heritage cases help regional peace significantly, and UNESCO has set it as a priority,” he said, at a commemoration to celebrate UNESCO’s 70th anniversary.
Mohammad-Hassan Talebian, head of Iran’s regional Intangible Heritage Board of Governors said the ICH center was initially established to cover three countries, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan; “however, 10 other countries including Armenia, Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and Kyrgyzstan had joined,” he added.
“Five others, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Qatar and Oman, are in the process of completing their membership to the center.” Also during May 4-6, the second ordinary meeting of the governing council of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) center was held. Representatives from the 15 ICH nations were present.
Promoting Dialogue
The Iranian government is an advocate of international peace, dialogue, and preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, said Esther Kuisch Laroche, UNESCO representative to Iran and head of UNESCO Cluster office in Tehran.
“Iran has always played an important role in promoting dialogue among cultures and civilizations, and it was an Iranian president who proposed the Dialogue Among Civilizations in 2001,” said Laroche.
UNESCO has established schools in the least developed countries throughout the past through which it can have scientific exchanges with those nations, she noted.
Laroche referred to the activities of the five UNESCO centers in Iran, appreciating the Iranian government for support and participation in peacemaking efforts, international dialogue in the field of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and establishment of a center for preservation of intangible cultural heritage in West and Central Asia region.
Quality Education
Mohammad-Reza Saeedabadi secretary general of the National Commission for UNESCO, pointed to the activities UNESCO undertakes and said, “Establishing a culture of peace and sustainable development is at the heart of UNESCO’s mandate. Since 1945, UNESCO has promoted the right to quality education and the advancement of science and its application to develop knowledge and capacity for economic and social progress - the basis of peace and sustainable development.”
Masoud Soltanifar head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO), Shahindokht Molaverdi vice-president for women and family affairs, and Ahmad Jalali, Iran’s permanent delegate to UNESCO were among the other guests at the event.
