27 Hectares of Sulaymaniyah Palace Lands on Path to Resolution

The Director-General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Alborz announced follow-up on resolving the status of 27 hectares of Sulaymaniyah Palace lands, saying a formal request to begin the first phase of the project has been submitted and the final response will be pursued within the next 10 days.

According to the report of Arya Heritage reporter, Nader Zinali, on Monday evening, October 20, on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of Karaj Day of Remembrance, which was held at Nejadfalah Martyrs' Hall, he pointed out the importance of introducing the cultural, historical and economic capacities of Alborz province and stated: Cultural events can lead to lasting results when, in addition to creating an atmosphere of social vitality, they provide a context for the introduction of local products, support for local producers and strengthen the cultural identity of the city.

Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Alborz, referring to holding a 10-day exhibition of rural souvenirs and handicrafts in the framework of Karaj Day programs, added: this exhibition, by setting up 50 booths, provided an opportunity to supply native products and introduce the capabilities of local producers, and was able to expose part of the cultural and economic capacities of the villages to the eyes of the citizens.

Saying that handicrafts and local souvenirs are not only products for sale, Zinali said: These products reflect part of the cultural identity of different regions, and in many cases, the way of life, artistic taste, experiences of past generations and local traditions are reflected in their production. Therefore, the introduction and support of these products, in addition to the economic aspect, is also important in the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage.

Referring to the presence of rural women and youth in the field of production and supply of local products, he said: providing an opportunity to introduce the products of these groups can help increase the possibility of selling products, strengthen the income of households, and create the basis for greater participation of local communities in economic activities.

This official explained: Handicraft exhibitions are more effective when they strengthen the relationship between producers and consumers and provide people with direct knowledge of local products and capabilities. Continuation of such programs can help to introduce the less-represented capacities of villages and support local artists and producers.

Zinali continued: In cultural and tourism planning, the different capacities of each region should be seen together; Because historical monuments, handicrafts, local souvenirs and customs, each form a part of the identity of the tourist destination, and their coordinated introduction can lead to a better understanding of the cultural assets of the province.

Welcoming 400 to 600 people daily from Sulaimaniye Palace

Referring to the reception of Sulaymaniyah Karaj Palace by the citizens, he said: Despite the ongoing construction operations and restrictions on visiting, this historical complex hosts 400 to 600 people on average every day, and this number reaches about 800 people on Thursdays and Fridays.

The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Alborz Province added: The level of people's acceptance of Sulaimaniyeh Palace shows the capacity of this complex to participate in urban tourism programs, and it is necessary to seriously follow the process of its restoration and preparation in order to provide citizens with the possibility of better benefiting from this historical monument.

Emphasizing the necessity of simultaneously paying attention to the protection of historical heritage and improving visiting conditions, Zinali stated: historical collections, in addition to architectural and cultural value, are part of the historical memory of cities, and their protection requires fundamental planning, implementation of restoration measures, and provision of appropriate infrastructure.

This official explained: People's acceptance of these collections can be an opportunity to increase public awareness of historical heritage, but the tourism exploitation of these capacities should be done according to the protection requirements. Accordingly, efforts are being made to provide more suitable conditions for the presence of visitors while following the measures required to protect Sulaimaniye Palace.

In another part of his speech, he mentioned the measures taken to prepare the tourism infrastructure of Uzbeki Hill and said: The creation of facilities such as a light tower, toilets, and a prayer hall in this area is being pursued and prepared.

This official explained: It is expected that the Uzbek hill tourism pass will be completed in the next two to three weeks to provide more suitable conditions for the presence of visitors and the use of the facilities of this area.

Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Alborz Province, pointing to the importance of completing the infrastructure in historical sites, stated: The development of services needed by tourists should be done along with the protection of historical and cultural values. Providing basic facilities, organizing visiting routes and improving services can help improve the quality of tourists' attendance and provide a better introduction of these capacities.

This official continued: The introduction of historical works and sites will be more welcome when the visitors, in addition to familiarizing themselves with their cultural and historical values, also have the basic facilities and suitable conditions for visiting. Therefore, completing the infrastructure along with the protection programs is one of the important issues in organizing the tourism capacities of the province.

Referring to the follow-up process for the lands needed for the Sulaymaniyah Palace, Zinali said: the negotiations related to the implementation of the decree related to this complex were ongoing before the 12-day war, but the developments after that stopped the follow-up process.

He said: This issue has been put on the agenda again and an official request has been submitted to start the first phase of the project. We hope that the necessary response will be received within a week to 10 days in order to follow up the implementation steps with the formation of the relevant working group.

The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Alborz Province stated that in the first stage, the assignment of about 27 hectares of land required for the collection will be followed, and said: Determining the condition of these lands can provide the necessary ground for advancing the restoration and organizing programs of the collection and make it possible to pursue more coherent actions related to this historical work.

This official also informed about the emphasis of the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts on pursuing this issue and added: efforts are being made to complete the assignment of the lands needed for the Sulaimaniye Palace by continuing the negotiations and making the necessary arrangements.

Referring to the importance of assigning tasks related to historical collections, Zinali continued: the advancement of protection and restoration programs requires the provision of implementation preparations and coordination between related departments, and the follow-up of the land issue is also followed in this framework.

In the end, he emphasized the importance of introducing the cultural and historical capacities of Alborz province and said: supporting handicrafts producers, completing tourism infrastructures and following up on matters related to historical monuments should be continuously pursued in order to provide more opportunities for people to benefit from the cultural heritage and strengthen the tourism capacities of the province.