Addressing the inaugural ceremony of 'Shiraz to Zanzibar' Exhibition, he said, 'We have had wide-scale cultural diplomacy with the world since the ancient times and Silk Road is a symbol of the Iranians' cultural diplomacy.'
Fars province and Shiraz serve as a gem in Iran's civilization which sheds light on the Iranian geography and world, the minister said.
Fars brings honor for Iran and Iranian and great civilizations have emerged in the land, he said.
Noting that Iranian culture has transcended the Iranian borders, Salehi-Amiri said that Iranian culture and civilization illuminates in various places from Zanzibar and Africa to France and Germany.
Referring to unveiling two books on 'Role of Iranians of Shirazi origin in development of Easter African Culture and Civilization', he said the book has only message and that is cultural diplomacy.
Exhibition of 'Shiraz to Zanzibar' will continue for ten days. Zanzibar (part of present Tanzania) is located in eastern Africa.
EghtesadOnline: Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri said on Thursday that cultural diplomacy is parallel to political diplomacy that has been based on cultural commonalities.