TEHRAN - Clusters of tourism insiders, artisans, and artists who are natives of Qeshm will stage cultural nights in Tehran to put the spotlight on the southern Iranian island.

Residents of Tehran will be exposed to the local culture, traditions, handicrafts, and tourist destinations of Qeshm during the three-day festival, which starts on Oct. 20, a local cultural official has announced.

A group of 15 artists from Qeshm will participate in the event as ambassadors of Qeshm’s culture, art, and literature, Hamed Biazar said on Friday.

One of the programs of Qeshm cultural nights will be the display of some 20 photos of the beauties of the Island, taken by some professional local photographers, he added.

One of the main objectives of the event is to provide people with an overview of Qeshm Island, including tourist information on sightseeing sites, accommodations, and hotels, he noted.

Sales exhibits and workshops on indigenous handicrafts, souvenirs, garments, as well as live performances of traditional music are also parts of the event, he mentioned.

He also expressed hope that holding such events will allow Qeshm to be promoted as a tourist destination once the coronavirus crisis is over.

Qeshm Island is a heaven for eco-tourists as it embraces wide-ranging attractions such as the Hara marine forests and about 60 villages dotted mostly across its rocky coastlines.

The island also features geologically eye-catching canyons, hills, caves, and valleys, most of which are protected as part of the UNESCO-tagged Qeshm Island Geopark, itself a haven for nature-lovers.

Many travelers to Qeshm believe that the Stars Valley or Valley of Stars is a “MUST SEE”. It is home to bizarre-shaped gorges, tall pillars, canyon-like paths, hollowed-out spaces as well as the smooth and round stones, which have been formed by the wind and rain eroding the soil, rocks, and stones. Locals believe that a star once fell on this area thereby creating the rocky shapes that make it seem as if from another planet.

ABU/AFM