TEHRAN – The historic stepped village of Palangan in Iran’s Kordestan province was introduced as a successful example of sustainable tourism preserving local culture and heritage at the BRICS conference held in Brazil on Monday.
Attending the meeting, Mostafa Fatemi, Director of the National Tourism Development of Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, highlighted the importance of Parangan in the sessions attended by member states including China, Brazil, South Africa, India, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Indonesia.
During the session, a video presentation introduced the unique architecture and cultural structure of Palangan, highlighting the achievements in the development of domestic tourism through active community participation, while preserving historical and environmental values.
Fatemi highlighted the important role that tourism-focused villages play in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, describing Palangan as a key example of Iran’s efforts to balance tourism growth and environmental conservation with strengthening indigenous cultural identities.
“In recent years, the ministry has prioritized villages with important cultural and natural potential, adopting a balanced and sustainable approach to tourism development,” Fatemi said. “The introduction of such projects at the International Forum reflects these efforts.”
Additionally, Palangan was selected as one of Iran’s eight candidates for the 2025 edition of the Best Tourism Village Global Competition, further strengthening its position as a model of sustainable rural tourism.
BRICS is a forum for cooperation between major emerging economies groups. It includes ten countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, the Russian Federation, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
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