CULTURE
Azerbaijan, Iran discuss cultural and tourism relations
Baku, January 31 (AZERTAC). Azerbaijani delegation led by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nazim Samadov attended the international “HT&T 2013” tourism exhibition on January 25-30 in Tehran, Iran, at the Tehran International Permanent Fairground.
Samadov was accompanied by a 15-person delegation comprising Azerbaijani cultural representatives. The event featured the presentation of a tourism stand, photo and book exhibitions and CDs in the English language.
As a part of the exhibition, Azerbaijani delegation has held a number of meetings with some Iranian officials, including deputy head of Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) for cultural heritage affairs Masoud Alavian Sadr, Iran`s deputy minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali-Asghar Purmohammadi, as well as Iranian Vice president, director of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO) Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh.
During the meetings, the sides discussed prospects of developing cultural and tourism cooperation and possibilities for the protection, restoration and development of tangible and intangible cultural heritages between the two countries.
The meeting also focused on exchange of specialists, forming of cooperation between museums and the need to boost relations in the spheres of cinema and music.
Azerbaijani deputy minister drew attention to the Armenian occupation of the originally Azerbaijani lands, saying that this occupation led to the destruction of historical and cultural monuments of Azerbaijan.
The meeting with the representatives of Iran`s tourism agencies mainly focused on discussions on tourism industry and potential in both countries, problems and further cooperation.
The sides noted the great potential for the development of the Azerbaijan-Iran tourism.
Then, the Azerbaijani delegation familiarized themselves with some must-seeing places of Iran.