ARMENIAN-IRANIAN CULTURAL COOPERATION
By Gohar Julhakian
Yerkir.am
August 03, 2007
Cooperation between Armenia an the Islamic Republic of Iran is
multi-faceted. Cultural cooperation evolves equally to the economic
and political cooperation. It includes almost all spheres of Iranian
and Armenian cultures – theater festivals, concerts, exhibitions,
translation of Armenian and Iranian writers’ works, etc.
The National Library of Armenia could not have been left out of this
fruitful cooperation. Director of the National Library David Sargsian
and director of the Children’s Library after Khnko Aper Ruzan Tonoyan
recently visited Iran upon invitation of the Advisor on Cultural
Issues to the President of the Iranian Republic Ali Akbar Ashar.
A series of issues were discussed during the meeting with Ali Akbar
Ashar including exchange of information between the two countries,
technical cooperation between libraries, experience exchange, etc. A
memorandum of cooperation was signed between the National Library of
Armenia and the National Library and the National Archive of Iran. The
National Archive and the National Library in Iran are one structure.
"We should do everything to get to know each other better," David
Sargsian says. The Armenian delegation visited the newly constructed
building of the National Library. The library has seven reading halls
with a total surface of 15 thousand square meters. The Iranian National
Library has its own flag, anthem and cote of arms.
The Armenian National Library has cooperated with Iranian libraries
in the past. A cooperation agreement was signed with the regional
library in Shiraz city to exchange of scientific and information
technologies. The regional library in Shiraz has cooperation agreements
with over 20 countries and the Armenian National Library can exchange
information with all these libraries through the agreement signed
with Shiraz Library.
The cooperation between Armenian and Iranian libraries started in 2002.
During the recent visit of the director of the Armenian National
Library a series of meetings with Iranian cultural leaders and visit
to various cultural organizations were organized. Director of the
Armenian National Library David Sargsian stresses the importance of
the visit to the Cinema Museum in Tehran.
"There is an exhibition hall dedicated to the Iranian Armenia
cinematographers that have made a valuable contribution to the
Iranian cinema. I think the Armenian experts studying history of
cinematography must study the work of the Iranian Armenian actors,
directors and producers. This will enrich the history of the Armenian
cinema and culture," Sargsian says.
Cultural values are in the center of the government’s attention in
the Islamic Republic of Iran. The government does everything for the
development of culture. The government is paying equal attention to
the Iranian culture and the Armenian culture in Iran.
The guests visited the Children’s Aesthetical Center in
Tehran. Sargsian notes that the Center receives over 3 million copies
of children’s books, produces computer games, CDs, DVDs that contain
children’s poetry, songs, tales, etc.
The Armenian delegation was also impressed by the visit to the Iranian
Studies Foundation. "We were very interested in the approach to Iranian
studies. They are expecting from us materials about Iran. They do a
great job for promotion of Iranian studies," Sargsian says.
The Armenian delegation also visited the town of Ararat, which is an
Armenian community and the seat of the Armenian Church. An agreement
was reached with the director community to celebrate the community’s
60th anniversary in Armenia. The delegation met the staff of Alik
newspaper.
Sargsian informed that a visit of the representatives of the Iranian
National Archive and Library to Armenia will be organized at the end of
2007. It should be noted that 746 units of Iranian books, 21 magazines
and 15 newspapers are available in the Armenian National Library.