Tehran cultural center hosting Golestan Art Festival

TEHRAN,July 2(MNA) -- Tehran’s Niavaran Cultural Center is playing host to Golestan Art Festival, offering the best of the province during the five-day event. Collections of artworks and handicrafts have been put on display in open-air exhibitions and the galleries of the cultural center. The festival was opened at the presence of Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini, Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Hamid Shahabadi and several provincial officials on Saturday. Hosseini called the festival the best opportunity to pay tribute to the masters and veterans of the province. He said that the ministry is seriously determined to hold cultural years in the countries, which have shown interest in Persian art and culture. Hosseini also talked about the good news of registration of the 55-meter Qabus Tower on UNESCO’s World Heritage List on Saturday. The tower was built on a 15-meter mound located in Gonbad-e Kavus in Golestan Province. Shahabadi next said that the art festivals help serve the art and culture of the country. The ceremony continued with awarding the veterans and the artists of the province followed by live concerts. The guests next visited several numbers of pavilions offering best of the province at the center. Several folk bands are scheduled to perform concerts and dances during the festival. In addition, a number of theatrical troupes are to perform folk stories during the event, which will be running until July 4.