TEHRAN, Jan. 26--A seminar on 100 years of Iranian studies in Austria attended by Iranologists from Iran and Austria was held here on Wednesday with the aim of expounding on the activities of the Austrian Iranology Institute and promoting communications between the Iranologists and the centers for Iranian studies.
The one-day event was sponsored by the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization's Center for Cultural Studies, ILNA reported.
Head of the organization, Hojjatoleslam Mahmoud Mohammadi-Araqi and head of the Foundation for Iranian Studies, Hassan Habibi addressed the inaugural ceremony of the seminar.
According to a report by the Public Relations Department of the organization, Iranologists Hovic Frizinger, Marcus Ulrich Riter, AndrŽ Gingrish also presented articles on archeology in Austria, Islamic art in the 16th and 17th centuries and Islamic identity in Arab countries and Indonesia respectively.
Meanwhile, head of the Austrian Institute for the Iranian Studies discussed the structure of the institute and its future programs while the head of the Austrian Sciences Academy, Herbert Matis reviewed the academy's mission and the scope of its activities.

TEHRAN, Jan. 26--Two swords pertaining to the 18th and 19th centuries, which were stolen from Sadabad Cultural Complex and smuggled into Azerbaijan Republic in 1999 have been handed back to Iran.
According to ISNA, visiting President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev handed over the swords, which were confiscated in Baku three years ago, to the authorities of Sadabad Cultural Complex.
The swords were stolen from Mellat Palace Museum. After two years they were seized from Iranian and Azerbaijani thieves in Baku. One of the swords was part of a collection owned by the wife of Pahlavi I and dates back to Qajar era while the other, whose hilt was studded with brilliant gems and topaz belonged to the South American revolutionary leader, Simon Bolivar.
Deputy director of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization for international, legal and parliamentary affairs, Seyyed Taha Hashemi, confirmed the news of the return of the swords and said that one of the priorities currently pursued by the organization is to get back the historical objects, which were smuggled out of the country.
"We examine all information we receive about international auctions of stolen Iranian antiques and then seek their return through diplomatic and judicial channels, if necessary," he noted.
"We are currently following up cases in Switzerland, France, Britain and Turkey. Four of the cases have made satisfactory progress and, in addition to the swords, will ensure the return of nine other objects (seven objects pertaining to Jiroft civilization and two dating back to the Achaemenid era), a pottery from Sotheby Auction (which pertains to the civilization that flourished along the banks of Halil-Roud river) and 30 other objects that were seized in London Airport.

TEHRAN, Jan. 26--Japan is to extend a cultural grant of 112 million Japanese yen (9.4 billion rials) to Iran for the reconstruction of the ancient citadel of Arg-e Bam, southeastern Iran, which was ruined in a killer quake in December 2003.
The exchange of notes for the reconstruction of the citadel, which was signed by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for education and research affairs Alireza Moayeri and Japan's Ambassador to Tehran Hideaki Domichi, is aimed at improving of equipment for restoration and preservation of Arg-e Bam (Bam citadel).
The government of Japan has already drawn some plans for reconstruction of Arg-e Bam, Moayeri told IRNA.
With this assistance, Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization will procure equipment needed for restoration and preservation of Bam Citadel.
The grant is the continuation of donations and contributions made by the government, NGOs and people of Japan after the Bam earthquake which killed tens of thousands and razed the city of Bam, in Kerman province, to the ground.
Arg-e Bam is the largest adobe structure in the world and one of the most beautiful historical sites in Iran, said the Japanese diplomat after signing the note.
Hideaki noted, "Unfortunately, more than 80 percent of Arg-e Bam collapsed in the earthquake. Restoration and preservation of Arg-e Bam is our generation's duty for our prosperity."
Besides this project, Japan had already funded 4.4 billion rials through UNESCO for Arg-e Bam restoration, he added, saying that most recently, Japan Agricultural Cooperatives donated $360,000 to its counterpart in Bam.
He stressed, "The recent tsunami catastrophe reminded us of the importance of taking all precautions for disaster prevention and reduction of damages.
"I wish Arg-e Bam would be eventually restored to its previous magnificence as one of the most attractive tourist spots in Iran," he said.
With the grant of 112 million Japanese yen, Iran will procure equipment needed for the restoration of Bam Citadel including 10 sets of scaffolding, 15 sets of step for use on slopes, three hydraulic shovels, two forklifts, three wheeled loaders, five belt conveyors and their spare parts.

Martin Scorsese is shown directing Leonardo DiCaprio in 'The Aviator'. (Reuters Photo)

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 26--Hollywood had a wide-open race on Tuesday as Oscar nominations pitted two powerful dramas by veterans Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood against the charm of films about wine tasting, Peter Pan and Ray Charles, reported Reuters.
Director Scorsese's epic film about billionaire Howard Hughes, 'The Aviator', clinched 11 nominations, followed by seven each for Eastwood's gritty boxing fable, 'Million Dollar Baby', and 'Finding Neverland', a bittersweet tale of the family that inspired J.M. Barrie to write 'Peter Pan'.
'Ray', a film that took director Taylor Hackford 15 years to find financing for, received six nominations. The quirky California wine country comedy 'Sideways' garnered five, although, in one of the day's big surprises, its much-praised star Paul Giamatti was not nominated for best actor.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Frank Pierson said the nominations added up 'to a very interesting horse race. It is an open field'. Unlike in recent years, he noted there was no 'Titanic' or 'Lord of the Rings' towering over the competition and for the first time in a long while, the Oscars had some suspense.
"Fortune favors the prepared", Leonardo DiCaprio, who received a best actor's nomination for his role as Hughes in 'The Aviator', said in an interview.
DiCaprio pushed the Scorsese project for years and said he spent hundreds of hours meeting people who knew Hughes and thinking about playing him as a man of 'zest and obsessions' at the height of his powers, when he was about to go mad.
Asked what Hughes might have thought of his performance, DiCaprio said, "Well, the younger Hughes would have approved."

A photo by Shirana Shahbazi

Photos by a Zurich-based Iranian photographer which are currently on display at the Silk Road Gallery make the visitors wonder whether her works relate to life in Tehran or Zurich.
Is Shirana Shahbazi featuring her national culture and identity and is it possible to differentiate between what she is saying about Iran and overseas?
Some of the 30 photos which are on display at the exhibit for two weeks are about nature in Iran.
Photos from Switzerland and the other European countries are also on display at the gallery.
Born in Tehran in 1974, Shirana studied at the School for Arts and Photography in Dortmund and then at the Faculty of Arts and Designing in Zurich. She won the award of Citibank, London in 2002.
Shirana has put forward an intellectual approach to reality. She adopted different outlooks helping her create masterpieces winning the praise of critics.
The photographer made endeavors to move beyond geographical boundaries and enter the concept of globalization. Coming from the heart of nature, she conveys her concern about genuine human values in the process of globalization.
Some critics say Shirana has upheld the spirit of competition in her works while others accuse her of anarchy. However, the fact is that her photos seem to interpret the spirit of modern life taking advantage of the artistic techniques including simile well done in her works.
Generally speaking, Shirana's intellect and her intellectual insight in raising social and political issues are tangible in the photos which are modest, well-balanced, compatible with the norms, attractive with eye-catching aesthetic features.
She held exhibitions in Zurich--Urban Diary in 2001; The Citibank Photography Prize in London in 2002; in Orange County Museum of Art, California; Girls Night Out in Frankfurt; Nation Almere Black My Story, Athens; Outlook (2003), Torino--Non Toccare La Donna Bianca (2004); Chicago--Universal Experience; Beirut--Ashkal Alwan (2005).
She also held exhibits in London, Zurich, Madrid, Venice and New York.

TEHRAN, Jan. 26--Popular Iranian singer Khatereh Parvaneh has criticized the time constraints for women singers in Fajr International Music Festival.
The festival is making progress each year, but, women singers have always faced limitations in timing the concerts at the event, she said.
She told ILNA that women perform at the festival, but, the time of the performance is too short for the singer to communicate with the audience and understand what they expect from the artists.
She said that only one day has been allocated for three women's musical groups in the festival and this is not sufficient for the program. "Both the singers and the audience are dissatisfied with the time constraints at the festival," she complained.
The vocalist said that the organizers of the festival plan to make records of the songs available to the public and this will be useful for keeping as a memento.
She appealed to the organizers of the festival to review their policies towards women singers and deal with them as they do with the male vocalists.
She said that her concert will feature special songs since it coincides with the holy feast of Ghadir-e Khom, a place where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) introduced Imam Ali (AS) as his successor during his last Haj pilgrimage.
She said that her other songs will include pieces from Chahargah, Avaz, Isfahan and Dashti styles.