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Cultural Diplomacy has had a Significant Role in Deepening of the Austro-Iranian Relationships
1396/08/22-14:27
Ambassador of Iran in the Iranian Afternoon of the Vienna Book Fair:
Cultural Diplomacy has had a Significant Role in Deepening of the Austro-Iranian Relationships
Ebadollah Molaei, the Iranian Ambassador in Austria, attended the national stand of Iran in the Vienna Book Fair to participate the Iranian Afternoon Event. In the event he stated, “Cultural diplomacy has had a significant role in deepening of the Austro-Iranian Relationships.”
According to a report by the Public Relations Department of ICFI, the event was held on Nov. 11, 2017 and attended by a plenty of the Iranians residing in Vienna as well as Austrian publishers and other visitors of the book fair. Ebadollah Molaei, the Iranian Ambassador in Austria, Homayoun Amirzadeh, the executive consultant of the cultural deputy of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad Reza Vasfi, the Iranian cultural attaché in Vienna, and Ghobad Shafeie, the deputy of the international affairs of Kurdistan University gave lectures in the event and explained the programmes of the National Stand of Iran.
Appreciating the efforts by the Iranian stand clerks, the Iranian Ambassador in Austria said, “Culture has been quite helpful in promotion of diplomatic and economic relationships between Iran and Austria and it has had an essential role in deepening of acquaintances between the people of the two countries. Fortunately, in recent years, positive steps have been taken in the extension of cultural collaborations and interactions between Iran and Austria.”
He added, “Perhaps, one of the strengths in the Austro-Iranian cultural relationships in recent years has been the promotion of academic collaborations between the two countries. A special committee for these types of collaborations has been set up within the Austro-Iranian common commission and they have had many meetings both in Tehran and Vienna. Twelve or so universities and scientific centers have signed agreements.”
He also said, “Essential steps have been taken to implement collaborative research projects and the head of a committee for such collaborations in Austria, also the former president of Austria, has been personally in charge which shows the importance of such collaborations. Our country has shown the same effort in promotion of academic and cultural relationships with Austria.”
Molaei added, “The Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology considers Austria as one of our four European strategic partners in academic collaborations and we hope that from now on, apart from various cultural dimensions of our relationships, also the academic area will help that we have a more comprehensive picture of the collaborations between the two countries.”
The Iranian Ambassador also indicated that, “The next year the anniversaries of a number of important events in the relationships between the two country will be commemorated among which are the One Hundred and Fortieth Anniversary of the formal diplomatic relationships between Iran and Austria as well as the establishment of the Austrian Institute in Iran and the Twenty Fifth Anniversary of the Austro-Iranian inter-religion dialogues. I hope that all those areas will result in knowing the public thoughts in both countries with positive effects on other aspects of our mutual relations.”
Certainly, due the rich cultural heritage and long history of our country and the outstanding place of Austria on the European cultural arena, the collaborations between the two can even have cross-border outcomes in our region and Europe as well. I suppose that this sort of cultural presence especially in the form of attending international book fairs will help us achieve our objects more easily and faster.
Attempts to develop the cultural relationships through building a Literature Bridge between Austria and Iran
In this ceremony, the executive consultant of the cultural deputy of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance said, “Attempts to develop the cultural relationships through building a literature bridge between Austria and Iran will be followed.”
Amirzadeh also added, “The Iranian Culture has never been static and through a right understanding of the world literature and using the very element of dynamicity has been able to identify the geographical borders quite well and talk to the humanity in a beautiful fashion.”
He continued, “We are talking about a culture which through passion for high level humane values is glistening on the front of the world. Hafiz and Saadi are only two examples that the Western scholars know them better among the others. We are looking for footprints of the universal literature of Iran which have been righteously hosted in Austria and other countries far from Iran due to the literary and intellectual dominance.”
Pointing to a history of 116 years of relationships accompanied by mutual respect and goodwill, he added, “The two countries have the capacity to promote the cultural interactions in the filed of book publishing to a much higher level. In its new course of activities, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is thinking of deepening the cultural relationships between the two countries and have plans for building a literature bridge between Austria and Iran, which will be implemented as soon as they pass the expert examinations and they are revised.”
In the end, pointing to the capacities created within the international book fairs, the executive consultant of the cultural deputy of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance added, “Through the planning in the Iran Cultural Fair Institute, we will witness positive changes in this regard.”
In this ceremony, also a book launch event was held for the book titled “The Fortieth” – a collection of photos by Iranian photographers attended the Arbaeen Walking Ceremony.
The 17th Vienna Book fair will finish on Nov. 12, 2017.
