TEHRAN – Tens of Iranian tourism insiders, crafters, performers, and exhibitors along with their Turkmen fellows underlined cultural harmonies at a recent joint festival.

The three-day event was attended by several officials, diplomats from the two nations and some other countries, Mehr reported on Saturday.  

Having numerous picture-perfect historical sites and monuments, the two nations share common cultural and historical roots, as well as a common border.

According to organizers, the promotion of traveling was the main goal of the festival held at the State Academy of Arts in Ashgabat.

A new chapter in Tehran- Ashgabat relations commenced, especially in the cultural arena after presidents of the two neighboring countries met in Ashgabat last year, Iran’s cultural attaché in Ashgabat said. B2B meetings, crafts workshops, live performances, culinary delights, and setting up stalls dedicated to culture tourism, health and medical tourism, and natural attractions will be pillars of the event, Navid Rasuli added.

Also, the event showcased works of decorative and applied arts, such as carpets and rugs, dishes inlaid with semi-precious stones and backgammon made of ivory, for which Iran has been famous since ancient times.

The two nations enjoy an array of commonalities when it comes to their cultural heritage. Available examples include breeding Turkmen horses and Turkmen-style. The latter gained a joint UNESCO label last year at the 17th session of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 27 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

AFM