This session began with a welcome speech from the President of the University of Makati to the Cultural Counselor. Following that, Mr. Abolqassemi, expressing his happiness for the opportunity, conveyed his thanks and appreciation for the valuable cooperation of the University of Makati in facilitating the arrangements for the music concert held in celebration of the 46th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution at this university.

"He continued by giving a brief introduction of himself and provided explanations regarding the activities of the cultural section in the scientific and academic fields. He mentioned that organizing such cultural and artistic programs at universities can be effective in increasing the elite community’s understanding of the culture and civilization of Iran. He also stated that the cultural attaché is ready to cooperate in strengthening and expanding scientific and cultural relations between the two Asian countries and to work together on the implementation of joint programs."

 

He went on to highlight the sixty-year diplomatic relations between the two countries, stating that over the years, numerous academic cooperation agreements have been signed between Iran and the Philippines, including the agreement between the University of the Philippines and the University of Tehran, which was recently renewed. He added that the Cultural Section, in collaboration with Philippine universities such as UP, the University of Santo Tomas, and others, has organized various academic and cultural programs to implement these agreements. These initiatives include scientific forums, cultural and artistic weeks, workshops, and training courses.

The Cultural Counselor further stated that nearly twenty years have passed since the establishment of Persian language classes in the Department of Linguistics at the University of the Philippines. Over the years, many students have become familiar with Iran’s ancient culture and civilization through joint programs held in Philippine universities. He also mentioned that Iran has signed cooperation agreements with other cultural institutions in the Philippines, including the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the National Library of the Philippines. As a result of these collaborations, the Iran Studies Room was established at the National Library of the Philippines, and it is hoped that after the completion of the library’s renovation project, activities in this room will resume.

 

 

He continued by announcing that, in celebration of the 46th anniversary of the glorious victory of the Islamic Revolution and as part of the implementation of the cultural exchange program between the two countries, the Iranian traditional music group "Hamraz" will perform at the university in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines. This performance is dedicated to the art-loving Filipino audience and enthusiasts of authentic Iranian music. He seized the opportunity to extend a heartfelt invitation to the university president and students to attend this event and experience one of the most significant and rich cultural heritages of Iran.

Mr. Abolqasemi further proposed signing a cooperation agreement between University of Makati and the cultural section’s office to facilitate the implementation of various academic and cultural programs. These would include scientific forums, screenings of Iranian films, the establishment of Persian language classes, and the creation of an Iran Studies Room at the university.

He also stated that the Cultural Counselor, as the official body overseeing cultural activities abroad, is prepared to facilitate a cooperation agreement between the University of Makati and counterpart universities in Iran. This would enable both institutions to benefit from each other’s academic and educational capacities through faculty and student exchanges, research fellowships—both in-person and virtual—for doctoral researchers and students, academic and university collaborations, the establishment and strengthening of Persian language and literature chairs, and the creation of a library with Persian resources for those interested in Iranian culture and civilization. The university president welcomed these proposals.

In response, Dr. Elixor C. Ramos expressed his gratitude for the valuable information provided by the cultural counselor. He stated, “I also consider cultural, artistic, and academic collaborations as a bridge for fostering better and deeper understanding and friendship between the people of our two countries. Given that our university has various departments, including those focused on culture, arts, and international relations, we warmly welcome such collaborations following the signing of a cooperation agreement.”

 

 

The meeting concluded with the cultural counselor presenting a gift to the president of the University of Makati. It was agreed that, given the presence of university officials in charge of arts, international relations, student affairs, and research during the meeting, the university president would issue the necessary directives for collaboration with the cultural section’s office.