TEHRAN – Iran’s Mosta Zafan Foundation has published its first museum publication, a comprehensive book dedicated to the art collection of the Millennium of Art Museum on Kish Island in southern Iran, the foundation’s affiliate Dafineh Museum Institute announced on Saturday.
According to the institute’s press office, the unveiling ceremony of a book titled “A Thousand Years of Art” containing photos, documents and descriptions of all the artifacts exhibited at the Kish Museum was held on Wednesday with the participation of representatives of the Iranian National Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the Kish Free Zone Organization, the Parsia Tourism Development Holding, and the Dafine Museum Institute.
Speaking at the unveiling, Hamidreza Soleimani, director of the Dafine Museum Institute, said museums are not “graveyards of things” but places of activity and education.
“Over the past year, seven new museums affiliated with the Foundation have been added to the country’s museum network,” Soleimani said.
“We also believe that museums act as platforms for the transfer of knowledge, so in collaboration with ICOM we have established an academy associated with each of these museums to facilitate the sharing of experiences.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Soleimani said the institute launched the first cooperation model with the Kish Free Zone Organization, which has since been adopted in other Iranian cities. Soleimani added: “Kish can be a starting point for artistic endeavors.”
Mohammad Hossein Pertagi, chief executive officer of Parsian Tourism Development Holding, said the publication is the first time that museum artifacts owned by the foundation have been published in book form.
“This book will be a valuable resource for researchers,” Portagi said.
“We hope that other museums will take steps to include similar works in their historical collections. Continued efforts like this could grow into a lasting movement.”
He said that the Kish Museum currently has 332 artifacts on display, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the island’s artistic heritage along with leisure attractions.
Ali Hasanlou, deputy director of tourism at the Kish Free Zone Organization, said the Kish Free Zone Organization is ready to support the establishment of a similar museum on the island.
“A museum of this standard has the potential to develop into a professional cultural center,” Hasanlou said.
ICOM Iran Chairman Ahmad Mohit Tabatabay said Kish and the ancient city of Harireh are located along the Silk Road, explaining the presence of artifacts from China, India and other countries on their historic trade routes. “Before the arrival of the Persians, this region was known as the Swahili culture, a common cultural heritage stretching from East Africa to southern Arabia, western India and the Makran coast,” he says. “Kish is one of the few places where the story of Sinbad comes to life.”
He added that the name “Millenia of Art” recalls the Persian word “hezardastan”, which symbolizes the artistic essence of Iranian culture. “The museum’s architecture and collection have made it a valuable cultural asset,” he said.
“Millennia of Art” is now open to the public, and a digital version will soon be available at the Daphne Museum Institute.
Mosta Zafan Foundation provides a wide range of primarily social services to millions of Iranians. The term Mostazafan, which means “the oppressed,” is central to understanding the worldview that underpins the Foundation’s mission, which frames society as a struggle between the oppressed (Mostazafan) and the oppressors (Mostakberan).
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