Hamidreza Soleimani, the CEO of the Foundation Museums Institute, presented the proposal to establish an "International Council of Museums of the Islamic World" during a meeting to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Deputy for the Development of Scientific and Cultural Cooperation of the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization. This proposal aims to strengthen the presence of Iran's cultural heritage on the international stage and to develop cultural cooperation among Islamic countries.
The Necessity of Introducing Iran's Cultural Heritage
Soleimani, in this meeting, referred to the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization's possession of over 60 cultural attachés and representations in various countries, introducing this network as a valuable capacity for developing international cooperation. He emphasized: "Museums are the intersection of the manifestations and symbols of a civilization and culture, and they have a special and decisive role in introducing the heritage and cultural components of a country and civilization."
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The CEO of the Foundation Museums Institute stated that the introduction of Iran's tangible and intangible heritage has somewhat been neglected on the global stage, emphasizing the need for a diagnosis in this area. He noted: "In situations where we are sometimes introduced with undesirable titles in some countries, we must present a correct and worthy narrative of our great civilization and cultural capacities."
The Role of the International Council of Museums of the Islamic World
Soleimani proposed the establishment of the International Council of Museums of the Islamic World as one of the actionable solutions. He said: "Creating such a council could serve as a suitable foundation for unity, cohesion, and camaraderie among friendly countries, especially Islamic countries." This council could help standardize museum activities in the realm of Islamic civilization and act as a starting point for achieving this goal.
According to Soleimani, the executive working group for this proposal will soon be formed within the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization. He also emphasized the necessity of systematizing international museum cooperation and added: "If we can organize joint activities and define a clear process for them, this cooperation could be very effective in introducing the rich cultural heritage of Islamic Iran to foreign guests and audiences."
During this meeting, Hossein Deyvossalar, the Deputy for the Development of Scientific and Cultural Cooperation of the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization, highlighted the extensive capacity of Iran's cultural representation network abroad and emphasized the importance of synergy among various ministries. He stated: "Cultural attachés are the cultural representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and are tasked with introducing Iran's cultural capacities on the international stage alongside other active institutions and organizations in the country."
Deyvossalar also referred to the beginning of a series of specialized meetings on "Museum-Centric Diplomacy" within the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization and said: "These meetings could pave the way for more effective cooperation in the field of the country's cultural diplomacy."
At the end of this meeting, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Foundation Museums Institute and the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization, and Soleimani presented the bilingual book "The First Geographic Atlas of the Three Islands of the Persian Gulf" to Deyvossalar. This book is intended to be made available to Iran's cultural attachés for use in cultural activities abroad and in the national libraries of host countries.
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