TEHRAN – An Indonesian cultural festival was inaugurated in Tehran’s Milad Tower on Sunday.
Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture Mohammad Nuh and a number of Iranian cultural officials attended the opening ceremony.
A variety of programs have been arranged for the event including traditional dance and songs, film screenings, exhibitions of traditional Islamic costumes as well as a number of lectures, Persian news agencies reported on Sunday.
Indonesian film screenings are accompanied with film review sessions in which a panel of Indonesian filmmakers will be attending.
A number of maquettes reflecting the images of historical monuments of Indonesia are also on display at the festival.
Mohammad Nuh who has arrived Iran at the head of a delegation met Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati here on Saturday.
They held talks on bilateral cooperation and expansion of art and cultural relations, Jannati pointed to previous agreements signed between the two countries over the past few years and said that these agreements demonstrate the deep relations between the two countries.
Holding cultural weeks in both countries can also help make each nation familiar with other country’s art and culture and also help deepen the art and cultural relations, Jannati added.
“We believe culture can help connect nations, and we are making use of cultural diplomacy in developing ties,” he said.
He also emphasized joint collaborations in the areas of cultural heritage, cinema, theater, education festival and exhibition.
Iran is ready to dispatch artists in different fields to Indonesia to exchange information and experience with the Indonesian artists.
We need to try to introduce real Islam to the world through different media including art and culture, he said.
Mohammad Nuh pointed to the historical relations between the two countries and also asked to expand relations.
He said that both countries enjoy many commonalties, and bilateral cooperation can be based upon these commonalities.
RM/YAW
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