Exhibit of Iran’s old maps registered at UNESCO kicks off

Tehran, April 26, IRNA - An exhibition of Iranˈs historical maps registered by the UNESCO, has been kicked off at the Foreign Ministryˈs Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) in Tehran. The exhibition is being held in line with the UNESCOˈs Memory of the World Register of cultural heritage items program which is the bodyˈs flagship program that aims to ensure the preservation and dissemination of valuable archive holdings and library and museum collections worldwide. It is one of the three UNESCOˈs initiatives for protecting and raising awareness of the global cultural heritage. A collection of 60 maps is on display at the exhibition. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Irina Bokova in a meeting held on the sidelines of the exhibition on Saturday morning urged the need to strengthen bilateral relations. The UNESCO chief arrived in Tehran on Friday for a five-day visit. This is the first visit to Iran by a UNESCO director-general in ten years. end