Iran to present three intangible heritage nominations at UNESCO meeting in China

The head of provincial tourism announced that the building housing the document center, library, and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Presidential Museum in Rafsanjan city, Kerman province, has been included in Iran's national heritage list.

Seyed Moayyad Mohsennejad stated on Tuesday that the building received registration number 34569 after the completion of preparing the registration dossier and its approval by the National Council for Heritage Registration.

He emphasized that such inclusion recognizes the national and historical significance of the building, adding that state registration plays a key role in identifying, documenting, and protecting the country's cultural and historical values.

Mohsennejad noted that registering heritage sites goes beyond simply preserving individual buildings; it is a way of preserving historical memory and cultural identity, as well as passing these assets on to future generations.

Furthermore, he added that accounting for historically significant places and structures can stimulate increased attention to their cultural and historical potential, supporting the development of cultural tourism in Kerman province.

The Rafsanjani Presidential Museum was established to collect and preserve official and unofficial gifts presented to the Iranian government by individuals, organizations, and foreign states during Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's presidency from 1989 to 1997.

The museum's collections include items of national importance and documents related to Iran's diplomatic relations. These materials are considered part of the nation's documentary heritage and are under the supervision of the National Library and Archives of Iran.

The building itself has three main floors and two mezzanines, with a total area of about 5000 square meters. The architectural design incorporates a sphere and a cube, with most of the usable space located between these geometric forms, except for part of the basement under the central courtyard.

Uzbekistan participated in the international exhibition Global Antiquity, which opened on November 5th at the Prada Foundation in Milan. Eight museum artifacts from Uzbekistan were presented at this exhibition.

The exhibition is dedicated to studying cultural exchange between Asia and the Mediterranean, spanning over 1600 years. The exhibition brings together more than 150 works of art and historical artifacts demonstrating centuries-old connections between the regions of Eurasia.

Curation and Design

Salvatore Settis, Anna Anguisola, and Chiara Ballestracci served as curators for the exhibition. The architectural and spatial design of the exhibition was developed by the studios Rem Koolhaas and AMO/OMA.

Exhibits Presented

The Art and Culture Development Fund of Uzbekistan (ACDF) provided eight items from its museum collections. Among them are a sculptural depiction of a prince from Khalchayan, reflecting the artistic heritage of ancient Bactria, as well as seven chess pieces found in Afrasiab.

These exhibits illustrate the material culture of the region and serve as evidence of the development of the population's intellectual life during that historical period. The Global Antiquity exhibition will be available at the Prada Foundation in Milan from November 5, 2026, to March 1, 2027.

The Cultural Heritage of Tehran province reported on Tuesday that Iran has received back 151 historical artifacts that were loaned to China for a series of exhibitions. All items were returned in good condition after almost two years.

Ali Toluei, Director General of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Crafts of Tehran, specified that the artifacts arrived in Iran on Tuesday after completing their tour of exhibitions in China, which included a final exhibition in Dalian.

After passing customs procedures and interdepartmental coordination, the collection was transferred to secure storage. Staff and experts ensured compliance with preservation and security requirements, according to ISNA.

These items were lent by the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts in 2025 for an exhibition titled 'Land of Love.' The exposition began in January 2025 at the Sichuan University Museum.

The collection featured exhibits from several renowned Tehran museums, including the Reza Abbasi Museum, the Museum of Glass and Ceramics, the Carpet Museum, the National Art Museum, and the Moghadam Museum.

The objects cover a wide historical period, from the third millennium BCE to the Islamic era, and include metal, ceramic, and glass items, textiles, and carpets, demonstrating the diversity of Iran's cultural heritage.

Initially, the exhibition was supposed to last six months under a government-approved agreement. Leila Hosravi, head of the country's museum department, had previously indicated that the exhibition concluded in June 2025; however, the return of the artifacts was postponed for several months due to the twelve-day war with the Israeli regime. Subsequently, China requested an extension, which was approved by the Iranian government.

Toluei noted that the successful return of the collection required close cooperation between the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, state agencies, airport customs staff, and the Cultural Heritage Protection Department. He also thanked Chinese authorities for hosting the exhibition and acknowledged the efforts of museum directors, specialists, and experts involved in organizing and supporting this cultural event.