An unveiling ceremony on Thursday night, attended by the Minister for Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, at the historic and cultural Sa'dabad Complex marks the start of the Night of Yalda ceremonies.

Iran Press/Iran news: Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, Ali Asghar Mounesan, and other senior officials attended the unveiling ceremony of a book called 'Sa'dabad Historical and Cultural Complex'.

The Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, Mohammad Hassan Talebian, in his speech at the unveiling ceremony, outlined Iran's efforts to register the Night of Yalda ceremony with UNESCO, as part of the world's cultural heritage.

He said that the Yalda Night ceremony is going to be registered as World Heritage by UNESCO in 2021.

Talebian went on to say that there are also several other cultural files to be registered by UNESCO for the next year (2020) including 4 joint projects with other countries, including Miniature (painting) with Turkish speaking countries, The Monastery of Saint Thaddeus pilgrimage with Armenia, Incense Sticks with Turkey, and Mehregan Festival with Tajikistan.

Calling Yalda Night ceremony as the ancient celebration of the Iranians, Talebian highlighted that the significance of the occasion is due to its coincidence with the beginning of the new year according to the Gregorian calendar.

Finally, he expressed hope that Yalda Night would serve as a herald of happiness and success for the great nation of Iran.

Groups of musicians also played traditional, tribal and local Iranian music as part of Yalda night ceremonies. Also, a handicraft exhibition displaying the local handicrafts of various Iranian regions was open to the public in the Sa'dabad Complex.

Yalda night is a special occasion in which the Iranian families get together and celebrate the night by reading poems of Hafez (Iran's famous poet).

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