TEHRAN – Iran’s National Museum of Iran and China’s Peking University signed remotely on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding to reinforce cooperation.

The agreement was signed by Jebrael Nokandeh, the director of the National Museum of Iran, and Hao Ping, the president of Peking University, during an online ceremony attended by officials and experts from both sides, a museum curator told the Tehran Times.  

In an opening speech, Hao said China and Iran are both the birthplace of human civilizations and their ancestors have created brilliant cultures.

He added although there is a great distance between the two countries, since ancient times, along the Silk Road, China and Iran have had close exchanges, and this has led to cultural and economic exchanges, influences, and the prosperity of Eastern and Western civilizations.

Hao further said that the National Museum of Iran has numerous collections, strong research capabilities, and a window to Iranian civilization.

“This museum is one of the important museums of the world, with a world-famous reputation; it is a very ideal place for research on the origin of human civilization and cultural exchanges between East and West.”

Hao added that Peking University was the first university established in China, and one of the main goals of the university is to study Chinese civilization and to know other civilizations of the world.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Hao added that professors and students at Peking University have traveled to many cities along the Silk Road and achieved many scientific achievements, as well as many talented experts in the field.

He concluded by saying that although we live in East and West Asia and our meeting is only possible in a virtual way, the desire for mutual understanding urges us to take common steps in the path of our ancestors and get closer to each other, and our efforts will make these ancient civilizations rejuvenate and shine!

Nokandeh, for his part, expressed his satisfaction over what he called a “valuable opportunity” to expand cooperation between the two scientific and cultural centers, the National Museum of Iran and Peking University, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Nokandeh said the National Museum of Iran has taken effective steps to strengthen cultural cooperation with Chinese institutions and museums by attending the "Glory of Asian Civilizations" exhibition and the "Longquan of the World: Longquan Celadon and Globalization" exhibition, which was visited by a large number of art and culture fans.

He said the National Museum of Iran, as the mother museum of the country and a huge treasure trove of archaeological finds from different parts of Iran, has an important history of exhibition, research, and other related activities.

The museum has a high potential for research and cultural cooperation at the international level, and he concluded by expressing hope that by establishing this constructive relationship, we will see fruitful results, and this memorandum of cooperation is a new step in expanding cultural cooperation between two institutions in the field of cultural heritage.

At the end of his speech, Nokandeh thanked the staff of the National Museum of Iran and Peking University, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, especially the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Peking, for their assistance in organizing this cultural event.

AFM