TEHRAN (CHN) -- Iran’s National Committee of Museums (ICOM) is trying to win the approval of the National Committee of Asia-Pacific Museums for choosing city of Shiraz in Fars province as the city museum of Asian-Pacific region. If the Committee announces its agreement with Iran’s proposal, city of Shiraz will become the city museum of Asian-Pacific region from March 2007 until the next session of the Committee. Announcing this news, Alireza Gholinejad, secretary of Iran’s ICOM told CHN: “Iran will present its proposal formally in ASPAC (Asia and Pacific Regional Organization) General Conference which will be held from February 27 to 1st of March in Shiraz. The earlier negotiations of Iran’s ICOM with the committee indicate that it has already succeeded to win the approval of the committee for selecting city of Shiraz as the city museum of Asia-Pacific region.”

Locating in southwest Iran, Shiraz is the capital city of Fars province. Shiraz is an ancient city and throughout its history it has been the capital of several Persian dynasties. Due to existence of a large number of gardens and tomb of some famous Persian poets such as Hafiz, Saadi, and Khaju-e Kermani, it is known as the city of poetry and roses. Existing of a large number of historical sites in this city such Vakil bazaar, bath and mosque, Qor’an Gate, Eram garden, the mausoleum of ShahChiragh, etc, as well as Persepolis and Tomb of Cyrus world heritage sites belonging to the Achaemenid dynastic era (550-330 BC) in the vicinity of this city has made Shiraz one of the most popular and attractive cities both for Iranians and foreign tourists.

According to Gholinejad, Iran’s ICOM has further proposed the Committee to discuss the different approaches for promoting cooperation among ASPAC member states which has been greatly welcomed by the Committee.

ASPAC General Conference will be the first international conference which is organized by Iran’s ICOM. The conference will be held with attendance of some 200 experts in museum management from Iran and Asian-Pacific countries with the theme of collaboration methods between ASPAC members. This initiative conference will provide the chance for participants to exchange opinions about the latest achievements in field of museum management.

Giving lectures by the participants, signing a regional memorandum of understanding for expanding the interactions between the museums, preparing the ground for returning historical artifacts which are kept in other museums or have been smuggled into other countries to their home country, and studying the latest changes in field of museum management and promoting the standards for preserving historical relics, will be the main programs of this 3-day conference. A museum managing workshop will be also held on the sideline of the conference.

Secretariat of Iran’s ICOM further explained that adopting some approaches for establishing national museums committee in some Asian countries, where such a union has not been formed yet will be another top agenda in this conference.

ICOM is the international organization of museums and museum professionals which is committed to the conservation, continuation and communication to society of the world’s natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.

Created in 1946, ICOM is a non-governmental organization maintaining formal relations with UNESCO and having a consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. For more information about the conference you may contact Ms. In-kyung Chang, chairwoman of ASPAC and director of Seyun Iron Museum in Eumseong in Republic of Korea, with the email address