Shiraz should be designated as the cultural capital of Iran and the Islamic world, considering its rich history and culture, said head of the National Library and Archives Organization of Iran (NLAI), Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri during his one day trip to the capital of Fars Province.
Visiting the tomb of the 14th century Persian poet Hafez in Shiraz, Salehi-Amiri recommended a conference on ‘Cultural Capital of Iran and the Islamic World’ to be organized in Shiraz and encouraged the provincial officials to vie for the ‘Islamic cultural capital’ title, Isna reported.
“With its magnificent historical, cultural and religious monuments dating back to Elamites, Sasanian and Achaemenid era, and the tombs of well-known literary figures including Saadi and Hafez as well as the Shah Cheragh Mausoleum, Shiraz has all the cultural characteristics for becoming the Islamic world’s cultural capital,” he noted.
‘Islamic Cultural Capital’ is the title given by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) to three or four cities every year, from Africa to the Middle East and Asia. Being selected for the title gives the cities an opportunity to develop their architectural and cultural assets, with the aim of educating the people about the importance of history in their region. Some cities that have earned the title in the past include Tashkent, Najaf, Dhaka, Niamey, Tripoli, Al-Madinah al-Munawarah, and Sharja.
Visiting the site of the ‘Fame Museum Garden’ project which is being built in the premises of Hafiz’s tomb, Salehi-Amiri called for donations from the city’s patrons towards completion of the “invaluable cultural project.”
Awareness
He also referred to preservation of historical monuments as a “matter of great importance related with national identity”, and proposed formation of social committees to assist in spreading social awareness regarding the issue.
Speaking about Fars province’s cultural and historical strength, the provincial head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO), Mosayyeb Amiri said: “Fars Province has 3000 national historical monuments, around 400 of which are in the old district of Shiraz.”
Considered one of the oldest Persian cities, featuring many cultural and historical sites Shiraz is known as the city of poetry and roses. Shah Cheragh, Karim Khan Citadel, Vakil Bazaar, Qur’an Gate, Afif Abad Garden and Eram Garden are among the city’s other popular tourist sites.
