TEHRAN - A sister city agreement between Shiraz and Zanzibar is set to be inked in near future as part of the development of cultural diplomacy between Iran and Tanzania.

According to ISNA, Mohsen Ma’arefi, Iran’s Cultural Attaché in Tanzania, and Khamis Hassan, the Mayor of Zanzibar, discussed the sister city agreement between Shiraz and Zanzibar on Saturday.

Ma’arefi, outlining Iran’s cultural activities in Tanzania, said: “Given the historical and cultural commonalities between Zanzibar and Shiraz, signing a sister city agreement could help develop relations between the two cities, and we are ready to cooperate in finalizing this agreement.”

Khamis, for his part, expressed satisfaction with the growing relations between Iran and Tanzania. He welcomed the proposal and stated reaching sisterhood agreements to be signed between Zanzibar and other major cities has been a priority.

He continued: “I am originally from Kizimkazi in southern Zanzibar, and in my surname on my birth certificate, the word ‘Shirazi’ is mentioned,” ISNA quoted the mayor as saying.

According to the report, Shiraz is a well-recognized place in Zanzibar and Tanzania, where it has exported its rich culture for centuries through the migration of a group of Shirazis to that region.

The memory and good name of the Shirazis are still spoken of by the people of Zanzibar, and to this day, the descendants born from the unions of Shirazis with Zanzibaris take pride in their Shirazi heritage.

Celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture for over 2000 years, Shiraz has become synonymous with education, nightingales, poetry, and crafts skills passed down from generation to generation. It was one of the most important cities in the medieval Islamic world and was the Iranian capital during the Zand dynasty from 1751 to 1794.

Furthermore, Shiraz is home to some of the country’s most magnificent buildings and sights. Increasingly, it draws more and more foreign and domestic sightseers flocking to this provincial capital. Eram Garden, Afif-Abad Garden, Tomb of Hafez, Tomb of Sa’di, Jameh Mosque of Atigh, and Persepolis are among the historical, cultural, and ancient sites of Shiraz that are of interest to domestic and foreign tourists.

AM