Executive Deputy head of the UNESCO-based International Music Council (IMC), Inar Sulbo lauded original Iranian music and said that the potential for playing this type of music in Iran is higher than what is expected.
The remark was made on Monday night before his lecture at the closing ceremony of the 22nd Fajr International Music Festival.
He urged that the world should pay attention to diversity and the great number of variations in the country's traditional and folklore music.
Visiting Iran for the first time, Sulbo expressed his desire to stay in this country longer to get a closer idea on its rich culture and art.
Underlining that musical activities should increase every day, he said that many of the cultures giving significance to this art are being extinguished or have been forgotten due to being ignored.
Sulbo said that IMC aims to safeguard, promote and encourage creativity in the music of world nations.
"Musical cultures have their points of strength and weakness, every one of which should be investigated by researchers.
"The impact of internationalization of music on various cultures is one of the issues that has been examined by IMC, about which we have exchanged views with the council branches in other continents," he added.
The UNESCO official said that the only IMC Asian branch office is situated in India.
For his part, Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Art Affairs, Mohammad-Hossein Imani Khoshkhu, said that due to its cultural similarity to its neighboring states, Iran can give proper coverage to their activities in the field, which makes it qualified for hosting another regional branch office.
"Given the great area of Asian continent, one branch office can hardly respond to the musical requirements of the whole continent.
Therefore, our country is fully prepared to establish such an office," he said.
Turning to the history of musical documentation in the country, he noted that Iran can enter into cooperation with other Asian states in the field.
Addressing Sulbo, he expressed confidence that the current tour aiming to give him an idea on Iran's culture and art have created the motive for further visits and closer cultural collaboration.
"A major NGO, House of Music, with 7,000 members, is active in the field to follow the objectives of music.
"Besides promoting the government's cultural goals, it is also in charge of administration of training at nationwide musical institutes," he said.
The deputy minister said that there are over 600 free music training institutes across the country, some of which have been active for more than 50 years.
Imani Khoshkhu said that Iranian music is unknown, adding that the International Music Council should introduce and raise the level of Iranian music.
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