MOSCOW -- From September 24 to October 6, Iran will present a multidisciplinary program across Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan and Astrakhan, bringing together music, visual art, cinema, scholarship and creative industries.
Iran’s Cultural Week in Russia will unfold across four major Russian cities this autumn, presenting a wide-ranging program designed to place Iranian heritage and contemporary cultural production in dialogue with Russian audiences.
According to Hussein Divsalar, deputy for the development of scientific and cultural cooperation at Iran’s Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, the program’s geographical reach is one of its defining features.
Rather than concentrating activities in Moscow, the initiative extends to St Petersburg, Kazan and Astrakhan, with 13 principal programs spanning artistic, cultural, academic and professional fields.
One of the headline events will be a performance by the National Orchestra of Iran at Moscow’s historic Bolshoi Theatre. The appearance places Iranian orchestral music within one of Russia’s most internationally recognized performing-arts institutions and forms part of a broader presentation of Iran’s contemporary artistic capacity.
Visual culture will occupy an equally prominent position. A major cultural and artistic exhibition will bring together works and activities representing more than 30 cultural and artistic fields,
alongside presentations involving computer games, traditional sports and other forms of Iranian cultural expression. Cinema and animation will add further contemporary dimensions to the program.
Kazan will host a distinctive strand focused on religious and intercultural dialogue. In connection with the city’s Islamic cultural context, programs addressing the Qur’an and the life and character of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) are planned, providing a setting for discussion around shared religious histories and cultural traditions.
Academic exchange is another important component. Universities and cultural institutions in the participating cities will host meetings involving Iranian and Russian scholars, while professional programs will explore cultural exports, creative industries and the implementation of existing bilateral cultural agreements.
The organizers describe the event as an opportunity to present three interconnected dimensions of Iran: historical, cultural and contemporary. This approach places traditional heritage alongside contemporary art, music, film, scholarship, technology and creative production.
The initiative follows the Russian Cultural Week in Iran, reinforcing the organizers’ emphasis on reciprocal and continuing cultural exchange. Rather than functioning solely as a short-term showcase, the program is intended to create connections among artists, academics, cultural institutions, creative professionals and audiences.
Across its four-city format, Iran’s Cultural Week in Russia consequently offers multiple perspectives on Iranian cultural life—from orchestral performance and visual art to cinema, scholarship and emerging creative practices.