TEHRAN—Ambassadors and representatives of Uganda, Sierra Leon, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka visited Qazvin to become acquainted with the economic, cultural, and tourism potentials of the Iranian province.

They met Qazvin Governor-General Mohammad Nozari in the governor-general’s meeting room on Thursday. 

Addressing the foreign officials, Nozari said, “Today, we are with you to introduce one of the ancient traditions of Qazvin known as “Panjah Bedar”. This ritual, which dates back to hundreds of years ago, is a sign of social solidarity and praying for water and abundant blessing.”

He also said that a number of Qazvin people come to Mosalla (the city’s grand prayer ground) on May 9 every year to pray for rainfall and revive their cultural heritage. Apart from its religious dimension, this ritual is an opportunity for introducing authentic culture of Iran, he added. 

The presence of foreign ambassadors in this ritual indicates the importance of collaborations and the role of culture in bringing nations closer together, he mentioned. 

He said Qazvin is a historical province and one of the major tourism areas of Iran which boasts numerous historical, natural and religious attractions. 

The governor-general also said that Qazvin boasts strategic position, rich history and ancient civilization. “The province has been a crossroads of history and technology. In fact, it is the paradise of technology and smart investment.”

Qazvin has huge potentials in clean and knowledge-based energies and industry. It is the fourth industrial province across the country. The province has huge potentials in modern agriculture.

Nozari expressed readiness for economic transactions. “We are ready for joint investment in health tourism, construction of modern and traditional accommodation sites, innovative industries and big industrial townships.” 

Also, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Iran Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury expressed satisfaction over hist visit to Qazvin. “We are happy that we take part in Panjah Bedar festival which is a nature-oriented event. We are happy that we have seen Safavid-era capital city.”

“It is surprising to us that Qazvin, with such a history and numerous historical monuments, has not been introduced to the tourists. When tourists travel to Iran, they visit Shiraz first, while Qazvin has more historical monuments.”

He said that according to the expressions of Qazvin governor-general, the province has focused on clean energies. It is expected that this province will be considered a hub for mass-manufactured clean energy technologies, he added.

Bangladesh culture is close to Iran, he said, adding even several Bangladeshi states speak in Persian. He pointed out that Muslims account for 90 percent of Bangladeshi population and receive religious exchanges from Iran.

The ambassador continued that Bangladeshi people have lots of information about Iranian poets.

Also, Malaysian Ambassador in Iran Khairi Omar said, “It is the first time that I visit Qazvin. Qazvin has less distance from Tehran. This is an advantage. Tourists can easily visit Qazvin monuments.”

He added that Malaysian culture is close to Iran. Both nations can have relations with each other in fields of clean energies and religious training. Qazvin is the most similar province of Iran to Malaysia, he added.

The traditional custom of Panjah bedar is similar to Sizdah bedar, of course, it isn’t as known as Sizdah bedar. But it’s set yet among Qazvin’s people. On this day which is the 50th day of the new year, they go out to thanksgiving God because of their blessings.

Panjah Bedar Festival is a vibrant and colorful celebration in Qazvin, Iran, during the Persian New Year. The “Fifty Days Later” festival in Persian is a time of joy and festivities, marked by various cultural and traditional events, musical performances, and food stalls.

One of the Panjah Bedar Festival’s highlights is the street parade in the heart of Qazvin. People of all ages, dressed in traditional costumes, march through the streets, accompanied by live music. The parade is a feast for the eyes, with colorful decorations, banners, and flags adding to the festive atmosphere.
KD