TEHRAN – A pre-arranged visit by UNESCO experts to Uraman cultural landscape in western Kermanshah province to assess its possible inclusion in the World Heritage list, has been postponed over coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The visit, which was scheduled for late May and early June, has been postponed to August, Kermanshah tourism chief Omid Qaderi said on Saturday, CHTN reported. 

Iran submitted a dossier to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization for a possible inscription of the Uraman cultural landscape in 2019. 

Some eighty experts in various fields compiled and developed the dossier in terms of anthropology, archeology and history, natural sciences, architecture, historical documents, and other related fields.

Local officials believe that inscription of the property on the prestigious list of the UN body could jumpstart tourism in the region and also look at it as a tool for better conservation of its natural landscapes and unique cultural scenes for the next generations, saying its unique rural texture, architecture, lifestyle, and agriculture is a prominent example of integration of man into nature.  

Uraman is considered a cradle of Kurdish art and culture from the days of yore. Pirshalyar, which is named after a legendary local figure, is amongst time-honored celebrations and rituals that are practiced annually across the region.

Stretched on a steep slope in Uraman Takht rural district of Sarvabad County, the village is home to dense and step-like rows of houses in a way that roof of each house forms the yard of the upper one, a feature that adds to its charm and attractiveness.

ABU/MG