Moscow-Tehran: dialogue of cultures

Author: VK

Historians and cultural studies scholars recognize that the Persian culture has had quite a significant impact on the Russian culture. "Eastern metaphor knits with Russian song like unexpected golden thread in white and silver northern lace”, poet and translator Michael Sinelnikov pompously noticed. Recently, however, because of political vicissitudes, the Russians speak little of Iranian culture.

 “The process of cooperation between Russia and Iran has supporters and opponents”,  Boris Yakemenko, member of the Civic Chamber on preservation of cultural and spiritual heritage, says. “I believe integration is what the modern world needs, even though it is tried to be disoriented by various political forces. The integration process is a very important process which gives an opportunity to struggle against a foreign political pressure and discrediting cultural and national policy. However, it should be noted that the Civic Chamber is a body which deals with settlement of social processes, building socio-cultural contacts between various movements, organizations, and countries. Therefore, while cooperation between Russia and Iran in the sphere of the nuclear program, armament systems, and political tendencies has supporters and opponents, cooperation in the cultural and educational spheres shouldn't have opponents. There are hardly likely to be people who would neglect necessity of such contacts. Our current event is devoted to searching for ways of cooperation between Russia and Iran in the sphere of culture and education. I think if these ways are found or, at least, defined, it will be an important factor for elimination of many prejudices which exist in Russia toward Iran”.

“Iran’s image which is spread in Russia is not independent”, Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia, says”. “It is a corrupted image created by Iran’s enemies. This image is well presented in the American movie “Not Without My Daughter.” Iran is presented as a dirty, brutal, undeveloped country where restricted people live. People who visited Iran just like Mr. Veryovkin have seen a different picture. Of course they have been shocked by the difference which they have seen. I have posted in my blog travel notes by a Russian couple who visited Iran. Iran is guilty of two unforgivable sins because of which it became a target of propaganda aggression for the whole world. First of all, Iran doesn’t accept superiority of the US over it and the whole world and wants to live according to its principles and values. Secondly, even though Iran respects Jewish people, it doesn’t recognize Israel.

We don’t say Iran is a paradise in the planet and that we have no weak points. But in one sentence I can say we are a developing country where 70% of the population is young people. Of course, we believe we have a long way up ahead. We have already gained huge experience and we correct our mistakes, using this experience”.

“We believe that we need all-embracing peace and cultural and political diversity of the world”, Sergey Markov, Russian political scientist, publicist, director of the Political Studies Institute, says. “I think the more common people communicate to each other, the more reasons for this world we have. I remember what a bad attitude was in Russia toward Turkey in the past. However, when million Russian citizens had visited Turkey and its resorts, bought Turkish goods, Turkish companies had begun working in Russia, this attitude changed radically. It is a good example of how million common citizens do their business and then big politicians, big business follow them. I agree with Mr. Ambassador that Russia and Iran have corrupted perception about each other.

I don’t know how Iranians treat Russia, even though I am working in the sphere of international relations and international politics. I know how Russia is treated in France, the USA, Japan, and China, but I have no idea about Iran’s attitude to Russia. And I know that the majority of my colleagues do not know this too. I believe we can move in several directions. First of all, it is meetings between people at various levels: the first level is experts who deal with international relations; the second level is journalists who “open eyes”, we see the world due to them; the third level is young people. I think bilateral cooperation and international forms are possible. I am a head of a youth forum for 15 years. It would be wonderful if representatives of Iran, students and youth leaders participate in our forums. No big delegations are needed, just 3-4 people will be enough.

Besides, we should work on tourism. We know that Iran is ancient Persia, one of the oldest great civilizations of Eurasia. I believe our tourist companies would like to present a tourist product – a visit to Iran. Today they almost do not present such a product.

The last aspect is a religious dialogue. The most important moment for us is peace and cooperation between Christians and Muslims. Secondly, it is a dialogue between Muslim ummas. We are interested in diminishing of radical forces’ influence in our umma and prospering representatives of civilized humanistic Islam”.

 “The cultural treaty between Russia and Iran was signed 46 years ago, and it is operating today”, Abuzar Torkaman, head of the Cultural Office under the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Russia, recalls. “Before the treaty cultural cooperation was fulfilled irregularly between our countries. I mean cultural cooperation existed between Russia, Soviet Union and Iran in the past, notwithstanding a political context. We translated a first book from Russia to Persian in 1900. In 112 years we have translated 1048 books from Russian to Persian. Russia translated a first book from Persian into Russian in 1805. It means Russia surpasses Iran in studying the foreign culture by 100 years. We have a great experience of cooperation between our countries. The works by Leo Tolstoy show that he was influenced by the Iranian literature. He admitted it several times. Iran chose this way too. We follow an example of Russian writers, poets, artists in the sphere of culture, theater, and art. Due to the treaty on cultural cooperation we have done a lot of work and implemented many projects. Until now we have organized two weeks of culture of each country at the territory of another country. We have conducted these arrangements two times. In five years we translated 220 books from Persian into Russian. The Russian people are interested in the Iranian literature, they welcome such works. As for Asnavi and Sufi works, once a translation of this book became the book of year in Russia and Iran.

The same situation is about dubbing of Russian and Iranian movies; our films have gained awards in Russian movie festivals for 5 times. Four days ago an Iranian short film was awarded in Moscow. The Iranian cinema is oriented as spiritual and intellectual aspects; there are no violence and sex. Despite all sanctions implemented against us, the Iranian movie got an award at the film festival last year.

As for an inter-religious dialogue, we have conducted 8 rounds of talks between Muslims and the Orthodox people. Next year the ninth round will be held in Tehran. I have participated in three of these rounds. Due to these meetings we received truthful extra information about each other. The Orthodox Church has its official envoy in Iran; and the dialogue between civilizations is taking place in Rhodes, in Greece, for 10 years. And Iran is an active participant. We have many similarities and close positions with Russia because we have close cultural features, we understand each other. Moreover, we face similar threats – cultural and ideological invasion. I mean extremism which threatens either you or us. I have certain proposals on our cultural cooperation. Considering cultural and civilization similarity of the Caspian states, we suggest establishing of the Association of cultural cooperation between the Caspian states. From the point of view of initial documents which is demanded for cultural cooperation, we have it. At the same time, there are certain difficulties on the way of implementation of these intentions. We state in our documents that we will invite each other to future cultural events. Sometimes we forget each other, and I don’t know why. We should fully use the documents which have been signed and fulfill all their requirements. I believe both states have such opportunities. In recent 5 years the sides demonstrated that they were interested in the deepen cooperation.

Three years ago the minister of culture of Russia, Mr. Avdeyev, visited Iran. For a long time no official visits by cultural officials had been made. The new minister of culture of Russia expressed his intention to visit Iran too. It is great. In the Soviet period there was the Society of Culture of Iran and the Soviet Union in Iran. We maintained the Society after the Islamic Revolution, but you do not have it. Initial steps on reviving working of the Society of Cultural Ties between Iran and Russia have been made by Iran. Four years ago we told the Russian side about this. However, we haven’t received any answer from you. Furthermore, the number of learning courses where people study the Russian language increased by 10 times in Iran. Many Iranian universities have departments and faculties of the Russian language. Unfortunately, we don’t see the response tendency in Russia. Striving for learning the Persian language is decreasing. I would like to say that there is a peculiarity of the Persian language which is important for modern Russia. An antidote to your Caucasian extremism is in Persia among Sufis. All Sufi works of the North Caucasus were taken from Persia, from the Persian language. You shouldn’t forget that Russian archives contain more than 30 thousand Iranian works. Nobody reads them. Thus, we believe the Russian government should allocate resources and support this process”.