TEHRAN – The International Conference on Iranian Studies, organized by the Organization for Islamic Cultural Relations and the Iranian Studies Foundation, will be held in Tehran and Shiraz from November 15th to 18th.
According to organizers, the event will bring together scholars and researchers from Iran and abroad to discuss issues related to Iranian studies and tourism.
The conference will cover six main themes: critical appraisal and approaches in Iranian studies, research on contemporary Iran, Iranian studies in cultural diplomacy and international relations, Iranian studies and new technologies, Iranian studies and tourism, and Hafez’s poetry as a microcosm of Persian culture.
As part of the conference, a specialized session on “Iranology and Tourism” is scheduled for November 16 at Tehran University of Science and Culture. The session will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will include a presentation by Seyyed Saeed Hashemi, associate professor and head of the university’s Department of Tourism.
Hashemi said at a press conference on Sunday that the idea for an international conference was floated by the Organization for Islamic Cultural Relations last year, but has been actively promoted this year. “Universities such as Tehran, Shiraz, Allameh Tabatabai, Science and Culture, and Shahid Beheshti are expected to play a role as supporting partners for this conference,” he said.
Hashemi added that the conference aims to strengthen academic cooperation and address how Iran is viewed internationally. “Despite its strong cultural position, Iran has often been underestimated,” he said, adding that the event could “influence views and policies towards Iran” through academic engagement.
He said the next session on tourism would focus on topics such as literary tourism and travelogues. Scholars from Georgia, Russia, Iraq, Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia were invited along with Iranian scholars to exchange views on Iranian culture and tourism-related research.
Mr. Hashemi pointed out that the meeting will create opportunities for cooperation between tourism experts and university researchers, helping to deepen understanding of Iranian studies and initiating joint academic and promotional projects in this field.
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