Hawzah News Agency (india - New Delhi) - During a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador and Cultural Attaché in New Delhi, Director General of the Council for Cultural Relations of India, Sri Dinesh Patnaik, said establishment of Iranology and Indian studies departments in Tehran and New Delhi, is a necessary measure for developing relations and making more mutual understanding between the two countries.
According to the Public Relations Department of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO), Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Delhi, Mr. Chegeni, accompanied by the Cultural Attaché of the Embassy, Mohammad Ali Rabbani and the Embassy"s expert, Hamyani, met with AnchorSri Dinesh Patnaik, Director General of the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cultural Diplomacy, and discussed the development of cultural relations between Iran and India.
Referring to the cultural commonality and potentials of two countries, Iranian Ambassador announced the readiness of Tehran to develop all out cultural cooperation with India. Chegeni added given that the main area of Irano-India relations is based on culture, it is important to make the most of these potentials, which is an important part of the history of relations between the two nations.
Referring to the prominent Persian-speaking poets of India and the influence of Indian poetry style in Persian literature, Persian language and its development in India, Chegeni talked about the development of Indian culture and spiritual and mystical values and expressed hope that Patnaik"s presence and responsibility in the Council on Cultural Relations of India to organize a new chapter in the cultural relations between the two nation.
Emphasizing on the continuation of the dialogue between Islam and Hinduism, Iranian Cultural Attaché, Mohammad Ali Rabbani, for his part expressed hope that as soon as possible several rounds of religious and cultural talks to take place between Iran and India and memorandums of understanding to be concluded between the Council of Cultural Relations of India with the Iranian Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and other cultural and tourism institutions. He said the ground has been prepared for implementation of these agreements and the second round of Islam-Hinduism talks and the third round of Iran-India cultural talks will be held in near future.
Referring to Iran"s position in India"s foreign relations, Sri Dinesh Patnaik, Director General of the Council for Cultural Relations of India, said this council, because of the cultural and historical background, tries to preserve and develop bilateral cultural interactions between Iran and India adding that due to the positive attitude of the Indian people to Iran, the Council for Culture welcomes any cooperation in the development of these interactions.
He called the cooperation in establishing Iranology chairs in India and Indian studies in Iran as necessities for the development of relations and the formation of more mutual understanding between the two countries, and expressed hope that this issue would be on the agenda of the parties as soon as possible. Patnaik also suggested that by presenting a roadmap and a one-year agenda for cultural cooperation, the grounds for further agreements to be provided.
Request for Iran"s cooperation in reviving and reconstructing the tomb of Bidel Dehlavi one of great Persian-speaking poets of India; Joint cooperation in the development of Persian and Hindi language education in Iran and India, translation and publication of books and restoration of manuscripts were other proposals for bilateral cultural cooperation by the Director General of the Iran-India Cultural Relations Council.
At the conclusion of the meeting, in addition to preparing a plan for one-year cultural cooperation between Iran and India it was agreed that proposals to be prepared and sent by the consultants regarding the suggested topics, including the establishment of Iranology centers in universities, Persian language development, and plan of action related to participation in building Bidel Cultural Association. It was also decided that the next joint meeting to be held at the Iranian Cultural Mission in New Delhi and the necessary action to be taken to follow up on the above matters.