TEHRAN — A conference on crisis management and protection of historical monuments in Iran will be held to consider the role of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in preventing and mitigating damage from crises.
“Iran is a disaster-prone country. We are in a land of anxiety and we want to do something to prevent anything from happening to us. For the first time, a special department has been created to deal with the crisis. Cultural heritage is the basis of our Iranian culture and identity and must be protected,” Mohammad Ebrahim Zarei, head of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, said at a press conference on Sunday, according to Mehr News Agency.
He warned that no historic building is safe from earthquakes.
He said that part of the program of the conference will be held at the National Museum of Iran, Malek Museum and Niavaran Palace, making the connection between knowledge and technology clear to everyone.
“We hope that this will be an opportunity for the managers and engineers of this country. Indeed, we need the support of these bodies to implement the program so that we can take effective steps on the road to national resilience based on current knowledge and domestic capabilities.”
He continued: “So far we have identified more than a million artifacts. If we claim that they are all safe from earthquakes, it would be a lie. We have to take care of them. These meetings are held to prevent crises.”
Zaray added: “We have been indifferent to past knowledge. Regarding land subsidence, we have been instructed by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage to do what we need to do, with the help of the National Mapping Center. We very much hope that the discussions presented at the conference will be translated into guidelines for all agencies and ministries to follow.”
Mehdi Zareh, Scientific Secretary of the Conference and Head of Earthquake Forecasting at the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, said: “We are in Iran with a vast history of civilization. The burned city of Sistan-Baluchestan province, the Bam citadel in Kerman province, and the destroyed city of Tabas are classic examples. The destruction of Tabas is a reminder of the dangers we face.” It’s a cultural heritage. ”
“If you look at an aerial photograph of the Great Mosque of Varamin from 60 years ago, you can see that it is a building from the Ilkhanid period and a relic of the Varamin earthquake. We need to know what to do with these places in order to restore, extract and protect the historical heritage,” he said.
“This academic conference has an applied focus and therefore relies on specialized workshops and training courses. The Secretariat received 190 papers, of which 90 were accepted, and there are 14 one-day workshops and various roundtables.”
A comprehensive conference on crisis management and HSE (Health, Safety and Environment), focusing on safety, protection and environment with the theme of crisis management and protection of the country’s cultural heritage, was held at the Perce Hall of the Institute of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage. The conference is scheduled to be held from November 10th to 12th.
KD