Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s Cultural Attaché in Pakistan’s fourth largest city Rawalpindi has said that the Persian New Year, which is called Nowruz, is regarded as a common cultural symbol in the two countries.
Faramarz Rahmanzad, who also heads Iran’s cultural center in Rawalpindi, made the comment at a ceremony marking the cultural week of the Punjab Province that hosts Rawalpindi.
He referred to the numerous commonalities in culture and art between Iran and Punjab, including Nowruz celebrations.
He said that the celebrations are known as Baharan (meaning the spring season) in most parts of Pakistan, including the populous Punjab province.
As an example of those commonalities, Rahmanzad referred to handicrafts made in Punjab and Iran’s rural areas, saying that they have little differences and this shows that the two countries have common cultural roots.
The Iranian official stressed that the two neighbors should jointly carry out cultural activities.
Nahid Ahmad, one of directors at Rawalpindi’s Cultural Council, also spoke at the ceremony. She described as a great asset the cultural commonalties between Iran and Pakistan. She also said Punjab has, throughout history, witnessed great civilizations which have developed thanks to impacts of the Iranian culture and the Persian language.
Other Pakistani speakers at the ceremony asked their government to help pave the ground for increased relations between the people of Pakistan and Iran, as well as more cultural exchanges between the two Muslim countries.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, Rahmanzad met with the head of Rawalpindi’s Cultural Council and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in cultural fields.
Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA
