A food festival is scheduled to be held in parallel with a tourism exhibition in early September in Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi Province, to explore gastronomic delights of the religious tourism hub.
“Mashhad’s international fairgrounds will host the festival from September 2 to 6, alongside an international exhibition of tourism and related industries,” Yousef Bidkhori, a deputy head of the provincial office of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, said.
“The festival aims, among other things, to promote the restaurants that serve local cuisine, typically a distinguished feature of popular tourist cities, as well as the Iranian culinary culture and traditional dishes, as the most exotic Iranian products,” he was quoted by CHTN as saying on Monday.
It is intended as a platform to display and introduce the local cuisine, food souvenirs and the products of domestic food companies and will also feature food-related rituals, expert debates and cooking contests, the tourism official said. / Financial tribune /
According to the latest report of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for ranking countries in the global indicator of innovation, Islamic Republic of Iran moved up 10 steps in 2018.
Accordingly, Islamic Republic of Iran upgraded its rank from 75 in 2017 to 65 in 2018, showing a considerable hike.
The report put Iran’s ranking in the global indicator of innovation in 2015 at 106.
The global indicator of innovation is the name of a report that is released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) every year.
The country owes its considerable growth to various dimensions such as outputs of knowledge, technology and creativity.
Undoubtedly, ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship and also development of active startups in various economic sectors have had salient and outstanding role in promoting considerable growth of country in this sector.
It is interesting to know that Iran’s ranking in Innovation Efficiency Ratio has hit from 56 in 2017 to 11 in 2018, showing a significant jump.
Moreover, Iran stood at 16th rank among 34 countries in the world in terms of upper-middle-income countries. / Mehr news /
As an ignored but high-potential province in terms of tourism, Alborz is gradually receiving officials’ attention in keeping with a drive to develop the industry Absorbing Iranian and foreign investors can help elevate the province’s position in tourism
The historical Shah Abbasi caravansary sitting in Karaj, Alborz Province, opened to the general public on Monday during a ceremony attended by government officials.
The building was restored by Touring and Automobile Club of Iran at a cost of 30 billion rials ($0.7 million) to help the province find a position in the tourism industry as well as generate jobs for locals, IRNA reported.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ramin Afshari, director of TACI, underlined the historical value of the structure, adding that it is capable of turning into the province’s tourism hub.
“The complex has created jobs for over 100 people,” he said, hoping that the doors of the caravansary will always remain open to enthusiasts. / Financial tribune /
Iranian short firms will be screened in 11th International Documentary & Short Film Festival of Kerala.On the sidelines of organizing 11th edition of International Documentary & Short Film Festival of Kerala, the International Film Festival of Kerala will screen 18 Iranian short films.
At the initiative taken by Fidan Film Complex, the 11th edition of the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala in India will put its spotlight on short films from Iranian cinema in a program titled “Persian Tales” in Short Fiction Section from Iran.
Amir Masoud Soheili and Hadi Alipanah have undertaken the responsibility of planning and selecting Iranian short films.
A number of 18 short films have been selected with the aim of introducing filmmakers while Iranian short films have been chosen in various genres due to the salient specifications such as achieving success in the international arena.
The 11th International Documentary & Short Film Festival of Kerala will be held on July 20-24, 2018 in India.
‘Lunch Time’ by Alireza Qasemi, ‘Lost Property’ by Hamed Nejabat, ‘Icky’ by Parastu Kardgar, ‘A Girl in the Room’ by Karim Lakzadeh, ‘Animal’ co-directed by Bahram and Bahman Ark, ‘Not Yet’ by Arian Vazirdaftari and ‘Maned & Macho’ by Shiva Sadeq-Asadi are among the movies.
Also included are ‘Pale Mirrors’ by Salem Salavati, ‘The Little Boy’ by Mona Shahi, ‘The Man Who Wasn’t Here’ by Ata Mojabi and ‘Whole to Part’ by Vahid Hosseininami. / Mehr news /
The 29th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) started today in Tehran. More than 260 students from 60 different countries have participated in the event which will end on July 22.
IBO 2018 is being organized by the Ministry of Education, Iran in partnership with The Universities of Tarbiat Modares.
Participants in this scientific event will take two theoretical and four practical exams which are going to be held in Shahid Beheshti University.
In the 28th edition of IBO held in England, Iranian students managed to won two gold and two silver medals.
The International Biology Olympiad (IBO) is a yearly Biology competition for secondary school students, who are winners of their respective National Biology Olympiad. Their skills in tackling biological problems, and dealing with biological experiments are tested. For a successful performance interest in biology, inventiveness, creativity and perseverance are necessary. IBO gathers young people from all over the world in an open, friendly and peaceful mind. IBO is hosted every year by a different IBO member and takes one week. / Mehr news /
Iranian math geniuses won five medals – 1 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze, as well as an Honorary Diploma at the 59th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO 2018), being held until July 14 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Based on the results posted on the IMO website, the Iranian team has ranked 19th among the 111 participating countries in the world with 5 colorful medals at IMO 2018.
The Iranian team consisted of Mohammad Sharifi, who won a gold medal, Erfan Moeini, Ahmad Ramezanpour, and Mohammad Shahverdi, each receiving a silver medal, Mohammad Amin Sharifi, who won a bronze medal, as well as Abolfazl Shirmahallei, who received an Honorary Diploma at the international competitions.
The 59th ceremony of IMO kicked off on July 3, and winners were announced yesterday.
The US team won first place for the third time in 4 years at the 59th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO); The teams from Russia and China took second and third place respectively in cumulative team scores. / Mehr news /
Four Bangladeshi high school students have joined the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in Iran. They are Auddithio Nag, Bayezid Mia, Tmzid Hossain Tanim and Prokriti Projukti.
The Olympiad began on July 15 and it will continue until July 22, said a press release.The IBO 2018 has been organised by the Ministry of Education, Iran in partnership with The University of Tarbiat Modares. More than 260 students from 60 different countries joined the event. / unb /
Maryam Qarehgozlou: The summer has set in for a few days now and the blazing, baking sun seems to be always shining in the cloudless sky and you could no longer fight back the urge to plan a getaway to places with cool temperature.
For our family, the best destination was the northwestern province of Ardebil, which is characterized with cool climate during the hot summer months and lures a lot of tourists, who like us, try to escape the hot weather for a couple of days.
Heyran route, pretty as picture
A village in Heyran route, connecting Astara to Ardebil
We set off on a road trip from Tehran to Ardebil, intending to take Heyran route. The route, connecting Astara, northern Gilan province, to Ardebil, is well-known for its scenic views. However, since you have to pass through Gilan province to get to Astara and Heyran route, it is best to spend a night in picturesque villages in Gilan. That’s why despite the hot temperatures we decided to spend a night in a village in Talesh near Siah Daran forest park.
In case you don’t want to spend a night in Gilan you can make a pit stop at Gisoom forest park where the jungle meets the Caspian Sea and has perfect tasting fish kebabs in small outdoor, sea view restaurants.
A view of a paddy field in a village in Talesh near Siah Daran forest park
The next morning we headed to Astara to get to Heyran route. Driving along the road you could see the fenced borders between Iran and Azerbaijan. The road was surrounded with beautiful trees and emerald green paddy fields. Every now and then there were vendors selling corn on the cob kebab and ash-e doogh (a soup usually made with doogh, a yogurt-based beverage, as well as different kind of herbs and chickpea).
Our great ride throughout the road culminated with arriving at Heyran gondola lift. Getting on a cabin we travelled 1,500 meters through a beautiful landscape of the Alborz mountain range. At some point during the ride everything vanished in the thick fog and this meant we have arrived at the next station.
The cold breeze and the small drops of water on your face makes you feel alive again. You can even take a short walk up the hills and plains surrounding the region. The plains are beautifully covered in wild flowers and the everlasting fog gives it greater vibes. There are restaurants, coffee houses, and tea houses which offer traditional foods and drinks in the area as well.
It was so hard to say goodbye to Heyran and leaving it to get to our main destination, Ardebil.
Shorabil, a lake within the city
A view of Lake Shorabil
Once we reached Ardebil we decided to visit Shorabil Lake. The lake is located south of the city and offers a dazzling and peaceful atmosphere. There is no need to do anything there, you can just sit near the lake, gaze upon the view and inhale the fresh air.
However, facilities have been built around the lake for the leisure, entertainment and comfort of the coming visitors as well. There are several restaurants and coffee shops, indoor and outdoor amusement parks, a couple of international hotels and a zoo in the proximity of the lake.
There are also running track and bike lanes around the lake, so activities such as running, cycling and also sailing on small boats are also available.
This lake, with a surface area of 16 acres, is the largest lake in Iran within a city. Originally the basin was covered with mud and high concentrations of salt and other minerals so that no fish could survive. In 1998, in order to dilute the lake, rivers were linked to it and reduced the amount of salt. Now, lots of salmons are living in Lake Shorabil.
Fandoqlo forest, a heaven on earth
A view of Fandoqlo forest
While dozens of hotels are available in the city of Ardebil to stay in we preferred to camp out in Fandoqlo forest.
Stretching over some 85,000 hectares of land, Fandoqlo (literally meaning filled with hazel trees), is very well-known for its spectacular, stunning sceneries. Dog rose, German chamomile, wild pansy, and wild strawberry are some of the plant species found in this area. It is also a habitat to brown bear, marten, pheasant, partridge, and golden eagle.
Fandoqlo is located 25 kilometers from Ardebil so it is a short drive from the city to the forest. You can either set up a camp in the forest or rent a cottage in case you don’t feel like sleeping in a tent.
However, the beautiful sky ornamented with hundreds of stars might tempt you to decide to sleep in a tent. On the first night of our stay in the forest the weather was pleasantly cool, so that we put up a tent and had a cup of tea under the blinking stars.
There are guard dogs and also a security guard at the area so that you can feel pretty safe to sleep in the tent. There are also lots of parking space available for parking your car.
In the morning, we woke up with the horses’ happy neigh and dogs barking at them. In front of us was a plain surrounded with dense trees and the light wind spreading the fog. Smell of damp, freshly cut grass and the fresh earthy smell filled our lungs and again made it harder to leave the forest for visiting another resort destination.
Sareyn, the city of lights
For me, Sareyn, a city located in southwest of Ardebil, is a city of lights. The streets are jammed with food carts selling corn on the cob kebab, ash-e doogh, and tea. There are also big restaurants selling kebab and other mouth-watering food stuff. It sounded like the pool of lights would never fade.
The city is well-known for its hot springs and attracts hundreds of tourists especially during summer. The hot springs in Sareyn are near an inactive volcano in mount Sabalan and its water contains sulphur particles which is believed to have therapeutic properties and is good for bone and joint pains.
However, it is not just the hot springs that makes you want to visit this city. Walking down the streets at dusk while the cool breeze gently blows and listening to people’s carefree laughter tells you that the trip has paid off.
Things you may need to know
The massive suspension bridge, inaugurated in 2015 in Meshgin Shahr city, also worth visiting. At 345 meters long, 3 meters wide and 80 meters high, the bridge is said to be the largest of its kind in the Middle East. However, a word of advice: do not go there at noon. Despite the cool breeze the sun is up and strong.
Suspension bridge in Meshgin Shahr city, northwest Ardebil, is said to be the longest of its kind in the Middle East
The UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble which is being restored now is also another place to visit in the city of Ardebil.
UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble
Restaurants in Ardebil cook the best kebab. Don’t forget to taste this palatable dish, too.
If you decided to take the Heyran route to get to the city, it is best to travel back from Khalkhal-Asalem road. A cool mist fills this road too. Driving through the mist you get to the beautiful city of Asalem in the province of Gilan. The enchanting beauty of the road, starting from Khalkhal, located in Ardebil, and ending in Gilan, would be a perfect end to a perfect trip.
Pack a bag, take a week off and visit Ardebil
Our short 4-day trip was not enough to appreciate other beauties the region is famous for. Next time I would take a week off and travel to Ardebil and most certainly I will stay all seven nights at Fandoqlo forest. / Tehran times /
The Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC), which is affiliated with the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, has awarded a $97,000 prize to Iran for its project titled “Inclusion of Local Communities in Sustainable Muslim Friendly Tourism,” CHTN reported on Sunday.
The scheme will be initially implemented as a pilot project in Iran, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan, then it would be carried out in other Islamic countries and finally it will find its way to other countries under the auspices of UNESCO, the report said.
“Creating jobs, [rebuilding] rural economy, and establishing synergy are amongst strategic objectives of this project.”
The COMCEC Project Funding supports the top projects that are proposed by the member countries in order to get recognition.
For the research projects, the payments are made in two installments; the first will be paid after the first draft of the research study is approved by the COMCEC and the second will be paid after the approval of the research report, according to its website.
Realization of policy recommendations adopted by the COMCEC ministerial sessions, and enhancing solidarity and multilateral cooperation among member states are amongst objects that the Ankara-based Office follows.
Back in January, Iran allocated 24 trillion rials (some $600 million) to empowering rural areas and small towns in arenas of handicraft-associated jobs, ecotourism and hospitality industry.
Due to having a very diverse natural setting, Iran offers many to experience for the nature-loving travelers who may live with a nomad or rural family or enjoy an independent stay to learn about rustic routines, traditional art and culture. / Tehran times /
Iran exported 700,000 tons of apples in the past crop year (July 2017-18), which is more than twice the volume of exports in the preceding crop year. The total amount of annual apple production in Iran is around 3.7 million tons, about one-fifth of which is exported, mainly to Iraq, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, the UAE, India, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Tajikistan and Russia. / Financial tribune/
