TEHRAN – Iran and Greece have agreed to draft a joint cooperation package covering tourism, cultural heritage, education, investment and people-to-people exchanges.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri and Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni at the 128th session of the Executive Council of the UN Tourism, Miras-e Aria reported on Thursday.

Salehi-Amiri said Iran and Greece, as two of the world's oldest civilizations, possess significant cultural and historical assets that can be used to strengthen tourism diplomacy and deepen ties between their peoples.

He said Iran was interested in benefiting from Greece’s experience in maritime tourism, nature-based tourism and adventure tourism, adding that exchanges in tourism policy, destination management and investment attraction could help expand cooperation between the two countries.

The Iranian minister also proposed the development of what he described as “philosophical tourism,” aimed at creating joint programs for academics, intellectuals and scholars from both countries.

“Iran and Greece are both important centers of thought, wisdom and philosophy in human history, and this unique capacity can be used to design joint initiatives involving universities, researchers and intellectuals,” Salehi-Amiri said.

He also identified educational cooperation, including student and faculty exchanges, specialized training programs and broader academic collaboration in tourism studies, as potential areas for future cooperation.

Kefalogianni, for her part, welcomed the proposal and said Greece and Iran share rich civilizational and cultural legacies that provide a foundation for expanding tourism and cultural relations.

She congratulated Iran on its recent inscriptions on UNESCO lists and said both countries could play a role in the protection and promotion of cultural heritage at the international level.

Kefalogianni also praised Iran’s integration of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts under a single ministry structure, describing it as a valuable model.

She said Iranian handicrafts, particularly Persian carpets, represent a recognized international brand associated with Iran around the world.

The Greek minister expressed support for expanding educational cooperation, particularly through vocational schools and specialized tourism training centers, and said Greece welcomed the exchange of expertise in tourism workforce development.

She also identified ecotourism, sustainable tourism and natural resource conservation as priority areas for bilateral cooperation and called for closer exchanges of experience in those fields.

Kefalogianni said stronger links between private-sector tourism operators in both countries should lead not only to increased tourist flows but also to joint investment projects and economic cooperation in the tourism sector.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides agreed to prepare a framework for cooperation covering tourism, education, investment, cultural heritage and public exchanges.

The meeting was attended by the ambassadors of Iran and Greece, with both sides emphasizing the importance of using their cultural, historical and academic resources to expand bilateral cooperation.

AM