TEHRAN, Dec. 14--Iran is the cradle of written culture, as the first printing house and public library were established in this country.
Elaborating on the glory of Iranian civilization, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News reported that in ancient Iran messages meant for the public were carved in stones and Bisotoun inscriptions have survived to this day.
Iran was the first country to embark upon publishing and translating books 15 centuries ago. During the reign of King Anushiravan, a center was established in Iran where Kelileh-va-Demneh was translated from Sanskrit into Persian.
ÔThe Encyclopedia on Basics of BooksÕ of Marv Library was established by the Samanides.
Marv Library was the largest center where 400 writers rewrote books in order to reproduce them. The center contributed considerably for the promotion of Persian language and literature.
In the Islamic era, the Persian written culture underwent dramatic changes.
The success of Iranians in compiling encyclopedia and expounding theories is also evident in ancient Iran.
ÔEhsa Al-OloumÕ is the oldest Arabic book by Abu Nasr Farabi dating back to the 4th century and the dictionary of ÔQamousÕ from Majdeddin Firouzabadi was also compiled in the same period.
Iranians have also been frontrunners in publishing medical, scientific and philosophical books.
Qanoon, the book on medicine, and the Shafa encyclopedia of Ibn Sina (Avicenna), as well as the book on philosophy by Farabi and books on mysticism by Abu Saeed Abul-Kheir are ancient Iranian masterpieces.
Qanoon, later translated into English, French and German languages, was used as a textbook in the European medical universities for several centuries.
The Persian literatureÕs impact on the western poets and literary figures as well as those of India and Pakistan is well known.

Takht-e Jamshid, Fars province

TEHRAN, Dec. 14--IranÕs Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization has signed a contract with the Austrian firm Lighting Design Austria for managing, hosting tourists and undertaking maintenance at the historical Takht-e Jamshid.
ICHTOÕs Chief Hossein Marashi added that the LDA will host tourists from the moment they arrive at Shiraz airport and assist them in touring Takht-e Jamshid. He said the contract will lead to eye-catching results in providing tourism services.
ÒThe Austrian partner will invest in the historical site and the proceeds of the first five years will go to repay the loans it will take from the Austrian central bank,Ó he said. ÒAfter five years, the Austrian firm will take 50 percent of the revenues and pay 50 percent to Iran.Ó
The contract period is 10 years, at the end of which the Austrian firm will hand over Takht-e JamshidÕs administration to ICHTO.

TEHRAN, Dec. 14--An official said the Iranian tourism industry suffers from lack of publicity and called for advertising Iran's tourist attractions worldwide.
Director General of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization's Marketing and Research Department Ahad Qazaei said Iran has been subject to political pressure and is introduced as a crisis spot.
"Such propaganda has an adverse impact on the presence of tourists in the country," he said.
He noted that other countries earn enormous revenues from tourism, adding that this calls for better planning.
"The satisfactory treatment of tourists is very effective in encouraging foreign nationals to visit Iran," he said.
The official pointed out that according to a World Trade Organization report, mistreatment of foreign tourists has been acknowledged by 70 to 80 people whereas satisfactory treatment of tourists is only endorsed by 10 people.
Qazaei also said drawing up a strategy for promoting Iranian tourism by
considering the views of foreign experts and holding contests and cultural festivals regarding Iran worldwide are effective measures.
The Conference on Tourism Industry Development was held at El Goli Hotel in Tabriz, East Azarbaijan province, to mark the International Tourism Day.
Directors of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization and travel agencies participated and reviewed the achievements of Iran's tourism industry.
East Azarbaijan province is among the three top provinces in terms of tourist attractions.

TEHRAN, Dec. 14--A number of artifacts dating back to Seljuk dynasty will soon be returned to Iran, as a result of cooperation between Iran and Turkey in the campaign against smuggling of historical artifacts.
Turkish officials have already agreed with the return of Seljuk artifacts to Iran.
A bowl belonging to the ancient civilization of Jiroft was also recently returned to Iran.
Cultural Heritage and Tourism OrganizationÕs director general for legal affairs said a group of Iranian experts are presently in Turkey to identify Iranian artifacts.
Younes Samadi also noted that the Iranian artifacts were smuggled to Turkey and the Iranians began legal proceedings for their return a long time ago.
"We anticipate that the Turkish officials will soon return the artifacts to Iran. Iran has been successful in pursuing the return of artifacts from abroad," he said.

The Sixth Festival of Iranian Regional Music will be held in Kerman from Jan. 13-17.

TEHRAN, Dec. 14--The Sixth Festival of Iranian Regional Music, to be held in Kerman from Jan. 13-17, can be considered an international event since several bands from the Azerbaijan Republic and Afghanistan are expected to participate.
According to ILNA, the festivalÕs secretary, Mohammad Reza Darvishi, said at a press conference in Music House that if the works of foreign troupes comply with the country's regional music, they can take part in the peripheral section of the event.
"The festival can be also be considered international because of the participation of several experts on regional music as special guests," he said.
He added that Jamshid Haqiqat-Shenas will take care of graphic issues, including the festivalÕs poster and bulletins.
Referring to the festival as important and strategic, Darvish noted that it forms the basis of the country's oral culture.
ÒThe infrastructure of Iran's music is evident in various types of music, which are common among tribes and since it is strategic, a separate budget should be earmarked for it,Ó he said.
Darvishi also said that the festivalÕs management should be rotated, which will add different dimensions to the event.
"Given the type of music and significance of the people we encounter and the sensitivity of different sections of the festival, the secretary is under great pressures. If he or she is appointed permanently for the post, the quality of the event will decline," he said.

TEHRAN, Dec. 14--'Waiting for Rose', which is based on the biography of martyred army chief, Major General Ali Sayyad Shirazi, has been published by Sureh Mehr Publishing House.
A press release by Public Relations Department of the publishing house said the book was selected as the best book of 2002-3 in the Eighth Festival of Best Works on Sacred Defense's war and martyrs' biography section.
Author of the book, Mohsen Momeni, writes in the preface, "Only a day after the martyrdom of Sayyad Shirazi, my friend Ahmad Matni, who is a writer, provided me with a text containing interviews conducted by Art Center's Resistance Literature and Art Office with him."
"The text covered the martyr's memoirs since the start of the revolution until the Val-Fajr Operations I," he said.
Another interview conducted by Islamic Revolution's Document Organization with Sayyad Shirazi about the pre-revolution era has also been included in the book.
"I wrote the book based on these two interviews as well his notes," he said.
The book recounts that ten years before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, when Shirazi was only a little-known lieutenant in Tabriz, the then army commander predicted he will one day become the commander of the army's ground forces. This came true after 13 years, when Iran was passing through one of its most critical juncture.
The first edition of the 368-page book, priced at 24,000 rials, included 2,200 copies.

ISFAHAN, Dec. 14--The budget allocated for 6,000 monuments of Isfahan is very meager, vice chairman of Isfahan City Council said on Sunday.
Ahmad Aminpour also told IRNA that 3.5 billion rials were allocated for Isfahan's cultural heritage during the last Iranian year (ended March 19).
He pointed out that the budget allocated for Kurdestan Cultural Heritage in the same period was 40 billion rials.
"Isfahan, which has a large number of monuments, needs a bigger budget. This is while officials are negligent about this issue," he said.
He noted that when officials travel to Isfahan they only see the green areas surrounding Zayandehroud River.
"Many districts of Isfahan need greater attention," he said.
Aminpour also said that Isfahan Municipality has allocated 20.8 billion rials for Isfahan's cultural heritage in the current Iranian year, adding that last year the amount was 20.5 billion rials.