19 July 2024

The Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Hamid Bakhtiyar early today (19 July 2024) paid a courtesy call to the Executive Director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mr. Raphael Chikukwa, where issues to do with the deepening of cultural relations between the National Gallery and the Islamic Republic of Iran were discussed.

Mr Bakhtiyar said his visit to the National Gallery of Zimbabwe was meant to grow the cultural relations between Zimbabwe and Iran, as both countries were enjoying excellent political relations dating back to 1979 when Iran waged a successful Islamic revolution.

He said Zimbabwe and Iran enjoy some notable similarities, namely the struggle that both countries had to go through to gain freedom from their oppressors, as well as the sanctions imposed by America on both countries, among others.

The Cultural Counsellor noted that the need to consolidate cultural relations between the two countries is driven by the fact that little is known about Zimbabwe in Iran, yet Zimbabwe is endowed with a very rich culture.

He said the Cultural Centre and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe should expose both countries’ cultures so that the people would know and appreciate the depth of each country’s traditions and rich practices.

Mr Bakhtiyar said Iran is ready to expose Zimbabwean artists to the rich and diverse arts sector through the eyes of the world-acclaimed Fajr International Film Festival and the Fajr International Handicrafts & Traditional Arts Festival.

He said the Cultural Centre also wants to partner with the National Gallery in future joint cultural exchange programs involving women artists from the Islamic Republic of Iran to be held at the National Gallery in Harare.

Mr Bakhtiyar said during those cultural exchange programs, Iran would also be screening animation films as well as exchanging ideas through workshops for Zimbabwean and Iranian artists.

Mr Bakhtiyar further said this exchange program would facilitate Zimbabwe and Iranian women to work together.

Mr. Bakhtiyar noted that the IRIB television team that visited Zimbabwe in 2023 to produce a documentary on Zimbabwe for broadcasting on IRIB television stations was a great leap in exchanging information between the two countries.

The Executive Director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mr. Raphael Chikukwa, said his gallery, which has branches in other Zimbabwean cities and was founded in 1957, has greatly benefited from Iran through its students who have studied Iranian art over the years.

He said the National Gallery of Zimbabwe is willing to collaborate with the Islamic Republic of Iran through artist exchange programs and other cultural exchange channels.

Mr. Chikukwa said the National Gallery library has an Iranian section where art books from Iran are stored. He further appraised and gave Mr. Bakhtiyar a rundown of all the National Gallery of Zimbabwe’s activities, which are meant to promote the visual arts in Zimbabwe.

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe is dedicated to the presentation and conservation of Zimbabwe’s contemporary art and visual heritage. It operates under a board appointed by the Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts, & Culture.

Mr Chikukwa then took Mr. Bakhtiyar on a guided tour of the National Gallery, where he saw for himself the various exhibits on display as well as a detailed explanation of the history of the gallery.