TEHRAN -- Iran’s Kurdistan Province will host a ceremony marking the ancient Mehregan festival on Friday at the historic Karaftu Cave, bringing together government officials, artists, cultural activists and enthusiasts of Iran’s traditional heritage.

Pouya Talebnia, director general of the Kurdistan Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, said the event would be attended by the governor of Kurdistan as well as artistic groups and cultural figures.

He said the ceremony is being organized to showcase the province’s cultural and artistic capacities while highlighting one of its most important historical sites.

Mehregan is one of Iran’s ancient festivals and is associated with autumn, harvest, friendship and solidarity. UNESCO describes it as an annual celebration connected to the autumn harvest that promotes social cohesion by bringing together people of different ages, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds.

The ceremony was jointly inscribed by Iran and Tajikistan in 2024 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Talebnia said the international recognition of Mehregan underscores its importance in Iranian and regional culture and provides an opportunity to promote the tradition and pass it on to future generations.

He said holding the ceremony at Karaftu Cave will also draw attention to the historical and cultural significance of the site and could contribute to the development of cultural and event-based tourism in Kurdistan Province.

The program will include performances by the Hezar Tanbur music group and other local and traditional artistic groups from Kurdistan, Talebnia said.

Located in Divandarreh County, Karaftu Cave is one of Kurdistan Province’s major archaeological and historical sites. The complex combines natural limestone caves with extensive rock-cut spaces created and modified by humans over different historical periods. It is particularly known for its multi-level rock-cut architecture and an ancient Greek inscription.

The cave is included on Iran’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, meaning it has been identified as a potential candidate for future inscription on the World Heritage List, but it is not currently a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Iranian authorities are preparing a nomination dossier for Karaftu Cave for potential World Heritage inscription, a move that officials hope will raise the profile of the archaeological site nationally and internationally.