Hamedan's academic and industrial capacities can help promotion of tourism both in Asia and Iran, Eshaq Jahangiri said in his speech to the International Conference of Hamedan as the “ACD Tourism Capital, 2018” which started earlier in the western Iranian provincial capital city on Monday.
The second meeting of the Asian Dialogue Forum, which was held in Siem Reap town of Cambodia, proposed Hamedan as the capital of Asian tourism. The proposal, which was approved by the members, was submitted to the ACD Assembly at the request of provincial authorities and due to the high tourism capacity of the province, Hamedan-2018.com reports.
Accordingly, Hamedan is the capital of Asian tourism in 2018 and hosts the tourism summit of the countries of Asian Cooperation Dialogue which is an international governmental organization founded in 2002.
Jahangiri said, Hamedan 2018 is an important event for this Iranian western provincial city.
Referring to designation of Iran’s another northwestern city, Tabriz, as the Capital of Islamic Tourism in 2018 by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the first vice-president said naming Tabriz as the Capital of the Islamic Tourism as well as designating Hamedan as the Capital of the Asian Tourism in 2018 are two significant moves which create an opportunity for others to become familiar with Iran’s massive cultural capacities and natural potentialities.
Hamedan is not just a name, but a symbol of the rich Iranian culture and civilization which owns Avicena (Bu Ali Sina), one of the most prominent physicians and professors in the world, Jahangiri said.
During the three-day cultural event, the participants are planned to tour historical Iranian sites of Hamedan including Hegmataneh, Gajnameh manuscripts, Avicenna Mausoleum, Baba Taher Mausoleum, Alisadr Cave and a number of other sites.
Hamedan is believed to be among the oldest Iranian cities. the Ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, states that it was the capital of the Medes, around 700 BC.
It locates approximately 360 km southwest of Tehran.
