Khoy: The Chairman of the Islamic City Council of Khoy, Sajjad Chehre-Ara, has announced the signing of a sister city agreement between Khoy, located in West Azerbaijan Province, and Konya in Turkey. This strategic partnership aims to foster cultural and tourism collaboration as well as exchange expertise in urban management.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the agreement emphasizes the historical and cultural ties between Khoy and Konya, rooted in the shared legacy of Shams Tabrizi and Rumi, two iconic figures in spiritual and literary history. This connection is expected to enhance initiatives in spiritual tourism, facilitate joint cultural activities, and strengthen urban cooperation between the two cities.

Shams Tabrizi, born in northwest Iran, was a spiritual mentor to Jaleleddin Mohammad Balkhi, widely known as Mowlana or Rumi, a renowned Iranian poet. The agreement outlines the establishment of joint expert working groups to address urban management, transportation, cultural heritage, and tourism. It also proposes regular meetings between senior officials of the two cities and the development of a four-year joint cooperation program.

The agreement was formalized by Bahman Reza-Nezhad, Deputy Mayor of Khoy, and Mustafa Uzbas, Deputy Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality, in the presence of representatives from the Asian Mayors Forum (AMF) in Konya.