Iran, like all independent nations of the world, seeks national sovereignty and human dignity

Seyyed Abbas Salehi, on Monday (July 19), in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 23rd meeting of the Culture Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, stated: "I am pleased to be present at the 23rd meeting of the Culture Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. I sincerely thank the government and people of the friendly Republic of Kyrgyzstan for their worthy hosting and the orderly and professional organization of this high-level meeting."

He said: "Today, we have gathered in a situation where more than ever, culture can serve as a common language for nations and a bridge for understanding and solidarity. Fortunately, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has considered culture not as a secondary field, but as one of the pillars of trust-building, bringing nations closer, and strengthening the spirit of cooperation among members."

Salehi added: "Over the past two decades, this organization has emphasized expanding cultural exchanges, protecting tangible and intangible heritage, developing civilizational dialogue, and strengthening human ties among member nations."

The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance stated: "The Islamic Republic of Iran, with a history of several thousand years, regards culture as the foundation of sustainable development, justice, coexistence, and human dignity. We believe that the future of our region will be built not on exhausting rivalries, but on mutual cultural understanding, respect for civilizational diversity, and human cooperation."

He said: "The members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are inheritors of one of the richest civilizational areas of the world – an area that, over many centuries, through the historical Silk Road, has been a place of exchange of thought, knowledge, art, literature, and spirituality."

Salehi added: "Iran and the Central Asian countries, including the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, are part of this shared heritage – a heritage that today makes our responsibility for its preservation, recreation, and transmission to future generations even greater."

The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, presenting Iran's proposals for greater cooperation with SCO member states, stated: "In this regard, the Islamic Republic of Iran proposes: first, that joint cooperation of organization members for registering cultural elements and intangible heritage with UNESCO be expanded, and joint regional dossiers centered on the civilizational heritage of the Silk Road be compiled."

He said: "Second, a network of SCO civilizational and cultural studies centers be established with the participation of universities, libraries, and research centers of member states to develop joint research on the historical and cultural heritage of the region."

Salehi added: "Third, a regular program for holding cultural weeks among member countries be designed so that our nations become more familiar with each other's cultural, artistic, and social capacities. Fourth, cinematic cooperation, documentary production, and joint cultural productions on topics such as family, ethics, identity, historical heritage, and the Silk Road be supported."

The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance stated: "Fifth, mutual translation of prominent literary works of member countries be strengthened. The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready for mutual cooperation in translating and publishing the works of prominent writers of SCO member states."

He said: "Sixth, cooperation among national libraries, documentation centers, and institutions preserving written heritage be expanded for digitization, preservation, and restoration of manuscripts. Seventh, given the increasing role of new technologies, cooperation in the field of creative cultural industries, animation, video games, and joint digital content production be placed on the organization's agenda so that the younger generation participates more in the process of cultural interactions."

Salehi, pointing out that culture is the child of security and peace and is harmed in an atmosphere of violence, war, occupation, and aggression, stated: "The Islamic Republic of Iran, which is itself one of the oldest civilizational centers of the world, warns with deep concern about the dangerous trends that threaten regional security and the cultural heritage of nations."

The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance said: "As you are aware, in recent months, the Iranian nation has been targeted by brutal military aggression and illegal actions by the Zionist regime and the United States. On the first day of this attack, our country's leader, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, was martyred in his residential home along with some family members, including his 14-month-old grandson."

He added: "On the same day, 168 male and female students were soaked in blood at the 'Minab' school, and on the evening of that same day, in the small town of Lamerd, four American mass-casualty missiles were tested for the first time in the world, raining 720,000 shrapnel pieces upon the civilian population of that town."

Salehi stated: "From that very day, the Islamic Republic of Iran became the target of all-out attacks by the world's two nuclear powers, America and Israel, and suffered extensive material and human losses – including 149 historical sites, five of which were UNESCO-registered, being damaged."

The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance said: "Nevertheless, this all-out aggression was met with the resistance and bravery of the Iranian people. The national solidarity and resilience, which was manifested in the recent tens of millions-strong funeral of our martyred leader in various cities of Iran, was a reflection of this steadfastness."

Salehi stated: "The Iranian nation, like all independent nations of the world, seeks justice, national sovereignty, and human dignity. We believe that culture is the true alternative to violence and unilateralism, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization can play an effective role in strengthening this humanitarian and multilateral approach."

He added: "Today, more than ever, we need cultural diplomacy – a diplomacy that brings nations closer together and, in the face of hate-mongering and war, defends rationality, ethics, and humanity."

The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance stated: "The Islamic Republic of Iran is fully ready to take steps alongside all member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to build a future based on mutual respect, cultural diversity, justice, and shared prosperity. Thank you for your attention."

According to this report, the 23rd meeting of the Culture Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization began with the participation of Seyyed Abbas Salehi, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, at the residence of the President of Kyrgyzstan in the city of Cholpon-Ata.

The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance has traveled to Kyrgyzstan to participate in the 23rd meeting of the Culture Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Meetings, dialogues, and a dinner reception with Iranologists, Persian language professors, and professors from Kyrgyzstan universities, bilateral meetings of the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance with culture ministers of participating countries, attendance at the opening ceremony of the 23rd meeting of the Culture Ministers of SCO member states, the awards ceremony for winners of the International Film Festival of SCO member states, and an official dinner hosted by the Kyrgyz Minister of Culture are among the programs of the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance on this trip.

The 23rd meeting of the Culture Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is being held from July 16 to 20, 2026, in Kyrgyzstan.