TEHRAN -- Iran plans to establish a museum dedicated to the victims of the Minab tragedy at the Saadabad Palace complex in Tehran and launch a nationwide commemorative campaign, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyed Reza Salehi-Amiri announced Tuesday.
Speaking at a meeting of the committee overseeing efforts related to the Minab victims at the ministry’s headquarters, Salehi-Amiri stressed the need to preserve their memory through sustained cultural, artistic and educational initiatives.
He said the planned museum would open soon in cooperation with the Art Bureau, with the participation of the victims’ families. An additional memorial installation is also planned to allow visiting foreign dignitaries to pay their respects.
Salehi-Amiri called for the Minab tragedy to become a national and international narrative, rather than a temporary public concern. He proposed a symbolic national caravan involving young people, students and artists, traveling from Tehran through different cities to broaden public awareness.
He also emphasized the importance of introducing the story to younger generations through school curricula, literature, films and other artistic productions.
The Art Bureau has undertaken several initiatives, according to its deputy, Mehdi Janbaz. These include five puppet shows about the Minab victims in Tehran, street performances, and the pre-production of a feature film titled Minab 168 and a documentary, Minab at Minab Time.
Janbaz also cited the launch of the “Minab Children” website and a street amusement park for local children. He said a campaign had distributed 1.68 million school-supply items, while more than 100,000 works had been submitted to an international Minab festival.
Askar Jalalian, deputy for human rights and international affairs at the Ministry of Justice, called for stronger international legal efforts to document the incident and pursue accountability. He said Iranian authorities have contacted international organizations, including UNESCO and UNICEF, and sought to incorporate the victims’ story into