Opening Ceremony of the First International Conference on Iranian Studies in the Presence of the Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO
| The First International Conference on Iranian Studies, themed “Networking and Problem-Solving,” commenced on the morning of 15 November 2025, in the presence of Dr. Ali Akbar Salehi, President of the Iranology Foundation; Dr. Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, President of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature; Dr. Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts; Dr. Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO; Dr. Mohammad Mehdi Imanipour, President of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization; and Dr. Mohammad Ali Rabbani, Director-General for Scientific and Academic Cooperation at the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization. The event is being attended by 50 Iranian studies scholars from 22 countries. |
The opening ceremony of the First International Conference on Iranian Studies was held at the Kherad Hall of Hazrat Zahra (SA) Hussainiya at the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization. Dr. Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO, attended the ceremony alongside a number of the country’s cultural officials.
The event brings together 50 prominent Iranian studies scholars from 22 countries, including Spain, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Oman, Qatar, Tunisia, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Sri Lanka. It aims to strengthen academic networks, facilitate international cooperation, and identify the potential of Iranian studies in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Emphasis on Cultural Ties and the Expansion of Scientific Cooperation
In their speeches, Dr. Ali Akbar Salehi, Dr. Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, Dr. Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, and Mohammad Ali Rabbani underscored the importance of Iranian studies in preserving cultural heritage and promoting intercultural dialogue. They described Iran as a land with profound historical and cultural layers and Iranian studies as a platform for bringing nations together through knowledge and culture.
Two prominent Iranian studies scholars from Uzbekistan and Russia also shared their experiences and discussed the value of research in the field as special guests.
It was further announced that specialized sessions of the conference would be held at the universities of Tehran, Shahid Beheshti, Allameh Tabataba’i, and Elm-o-Farhang, covering a range of topics, including tourism, the Persian language, technology, intangible heritage, and Iranian civilization. The closing ceremony will take place on 18 November in Shiraz, hosted by Shiraz University.
Other conference activities include the review of 300 abstracts and papers submitted to the secretariat and the publication of 100 selected papers in a book. It was also emphasized that the event would pave the way for the establishment of a permanent secretariat for the World Forum of Iranian Studies Scholars.
