TEHRAN – Iran’s cultural heritage sector has reached an important milestone with the simultaneous establishment of four specialized international art academies in the cities of Tehran, Ramsar and Isfahan.
The inauguration ceremony took place on Wednesday, October 15, at the Time Museum in Tehran, with other academies also participating virtually. The event aimed to strengthen the connections between cultural heritage, contemporary art and contemporary academic fields and brought together top cultural figures and prominent academic figures.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Hamidreza Soleimani, CEO of the Dafineh Museum Institute, part of the Mostazafan Foundation, said the initiative marks a turning point in transforming museums from mere exhibition spaces to “living, dynamic universities.”
Soleimani stressed that museums are treasure troves of knowledge that must be translated into modern languages and passed on to younger generations. He called the opening of these four academies “not an administrative beginning, but the birth of four new intellectual trends that will globalize Iranian tradition.”
Each of the four academies is located within a major museum across the country and each focuses on a different area.
Another speaker at the event was Seyyed Ahmad Mohit Tabatabai, Chairman of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Iran, who emphasized international standards. He said the new academy is in line with the global museum trend of supporting proactive institutions that produce content and serve as centers of expertise. He added: “Iran’s cultural credibility will double if it joins an international education network.”
Additionally, Tehran City Tourism Director Amir Qassemi emphasized the academy’s role in strengthening the capital’s tourism brand and attracting academic and research-oriented visitors.
President Soleimani announced that in conjunction with the establishment of the academy, the Parsian Enhrab Hotel in Tehran will be converted into the country’s first museum hotel. The facility will showcase elements of Iran’s rich Islamic artistic heritage and cater to domestic and international tourists.
The Mosta Zafan Foundation, Iran’s leading organization dedicated to social welfare and cultural preservation, operates the Dafineh Museum Group as part of its broader mission to empower marginalized communities by promoting access to culture and history.
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