Iran wants to give Mumbai another sister

Irani culture is more than just brunmaska chai or berry pulao In an attempt to dispel the stereotype Iran is in overdrive to promote its cultural footprint in MumbaiThe Presidents office of Cultural Heritage Handicrafts and Tourism of Boushehr province in Iran has drafted a letter dated June 11 to N K Malik Regional Director of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations Ministry of Affairs proposing that there be a sisterhood of Boushehr and Mumbai ports Sister cities is an agreement between towns cities even countries to promote cultural and commercial tiesThe letterThe pagelong letter signed by Nasser Amirzadeh a copy of which is with midday general manager of the tourism organisation of Boushehr first talks about old and extensive cultural relations between Iran and India It then goes on to say that ports like Boushehr in Iran and Mumbai in India have had extensive mutual relations and are considered members of a family It gives examples of cultural and trade parallels and recalling that many of the books by Iranian writers used to be printed in India in the city of MumbaiMehdi Zareh BeibThe last paragraph sums up Due to the close cultural relations and also the commercialcultural relations in the recent centuries between Boushehr as the main commercial port in Iran in the Qajarid era and Mumbai the main center of Boushehr transactions in that era it is hereby proposed for the sisterhood of the two ports You are kindly requested to provide necessary actions in this regardMansoor Showghi Mumbai resident and ownerentrepreneur of Irani Chaii in Mahim said Boushehr is going to hold a threeday Iran cultural extravaganza in Mumbai to promote and raise awareness about its culture I know the importance of improving knowledge about Iran to boost tourism between countries he saidShowghi and Mumbais Nasser Sadequian are part of the organising committee Sadequian said Showghi and I will be working with the Cultural House of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai Hon Director Mehdi Zareh Beib is in charge of coordinationWhile details are being worked out the programme called Persian Nights will be a showcase of food dance and music including arts and handicrafts of the country Three venues have been decided one at IEFS Hall in Bandra W IIT at Powai and Phoenix Mills Lower Parel said Sadequian and Showghi Sadequian added The programme will also be the first step towards dispelling misconceptions about Iran People are afraid of travelling to the country for safety reasons It is only people to people interaction that can bring down wallsBoushehr bizmenEdris Abdi Pour and Hamidreza Ghassemi two businessmen from Boushehr who own an antiqueboutique hotel there and are arts and culture aficionados said We are here to coordinate the programme We are bringing down a troupe of 50 including artistes and craftsmen We also plan to show a selection of movie scenes filmed in Boushehr as a window to our province The duo said Music will be a major part of our programmeThere is am Irani musician Mohsen Sharifian and his group Lian which will be here The end of course they laugh is Boushehr food traditional meals and a handicrafts corner Like Pour and Ghassemi say it is time to cement the MumbaiBoushehr bond because the roots in the past are the lights for the future