Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival in China, is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together, just like Nowruz in Iran and Christmas in the West. The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, which was February 8 this year, and represented by a zodiac animal sign, Monkey, which Iranian people are well familiar with. The similarities in which Iranian and Chinese people celebrate their New Year as well as the different traditions and costumes they observe gave the Chinese Embassy in Tehran and Iran-China Friendship Group the initiative to hold the two festivals in conjunction with another. This year, the festival was held for the first time in a much larger space with even more people – Chinese and Iranians – in attendance.
On the sidelines of the fourth Chinese Spring Festival held on March 3, 2016 in Niavaran Palace Complex in northern Tehran, Chinese Ambassador to Tehran, Mr. Pang Sen, told Mehr News that China and Iran have their sights firmly set on enhancement of cultural cooperation between the two nations. Following is Mr. Sen's interview with Mehr News:
What programs has the Embassy planned for introducing Iranian and Chinese cultures to one another?
The embassy has organized many events over the past year for further tightening the knot in the two countries’ cultural relations; experts and scholars are constantly visiting each country; we also have library exchanges, concert troupes and film producers. I think the cultural exchange will be beneficial to enhance mutual understanding between our two peoples.
During the visit of China’s President to Iran, we signed a memorandum of understanding between the two countries and also made plans for cultural exchange programs between our two countries. They have mapped out many, many specific areas for cultural exchange. And this year, I believe the joint committee of cultural exchange between our two countries will also meet probably in the latter half of the year to have further discussion about ways to expand our bilateral exchange.
Are there any specific programs for Iranian Muslims in China during the New Year as well as for Chinese Muslims in Iran during the Spring Festival?
I think there are exchanged between our two countries so far as religion is concerned. Not long ago, a Chinese delegation came to visit Iran and they also made a visit to Qom. They had a discussion on how to increase our mutual understanding and cooperation.
What do you think of the Iranian New Year, Nowruz?
The New Year festivities both in China and Iran are a lot similar in their concept and a demonstration of their rich culture, and as such, are the most important annual events for the two nations. Both China and Iran have a long history and we share a lot of things in common, so while we celebrate Chinese Spring Festival, we also hold it in conjunction with Nowruz so that our people can better know each other and learn from each other.
How do you evaluate the impacts of such cultural programs like the ones planned for the Chinese Spring Festival held in conjunction with Iranian Nowruz on the improvement of relations between the two countries’ peoples?
The scope of our cooperation is not necessarily limited to economic area; we also put great emphasis on full enhancement of cooperation and relationship between China and other countries along this scope, and cultural exchange is one of the important factors of this initiative that helps to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. This way, people get to know each other better and that will lay a more solid foundation and pave the way for cooperation in other areas.
Pang Sen is the Chinese Ambassador to Iran since 2014. He had previously headed the Beijing’s delegation to the 5+1 talks on Iran’s nuclear case.
Interview by: Marjohn Sheikhi, Hamidreza Gholamzadeh
MS