TEHRAN - Farhad Nazari, an expert in cultural heritage and a renowned figure in the preservation of Iran’s historical properties, passed away on Wednesday, after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Nazari held a PhD in the restoration of cultural and historical objects from Isfahan University of Art and specialized in the preservation of historical artifacts and buildings.
In addition to his research and teaching, Nazari had an extensive career in cultural heritage management. He served as the director-general of the Office for the Registration of Cultural and Natural Heritage, the Secretary and Member of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Registration Committee, and a member of ICOMOS Iran. He also chaired the Secretariat of the Iranian National Committee for the Memory of the World.

During his tenure, Nazari played a pivotal role in several significant heritage preservation initiatives.
Notable achievements include the UNESCO World Heritage registration of Iran’s Lut Desert and Hyrcanian Forests, the listing of “Chogan, a horse-riding game accompanied by music and storytelling” on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, and the inclusion of Saadi’s “Kulliyat” and Rashid al-Din Hamadani’s “Jami’ al-Tawarikh” in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

Nazari was also a prolific writer, contributing numerous articles and books in the field of cultural heritage. His most recent publication, co-authored with Mohammad Aminian, discussed the Tabriz Bazaar fires in the book “Crisis Management in Cultural Heritage.”
His contributions have left an enduring legacy in the preservation and understanding of Iran’s cultural heritage.

XF/AM