Tehran - BORNA - Iranian Minister Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri, speaking at the ceremony marking the establishment anniversary of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), highlighted the profound natural and civilizational bonds that link the member countries.

"I am honored to be among the great ECO family today," Salehi Amiri stated. "The Economic Cooperation Organization is one of the most important and established regional institutions, and its significance stems from the fact that it is based on natural ties among member countries; ties that draw our nations closer together geographically and civilizationally."

Shared Civilization, Unlike Europe

The Minister pointed to the rich cultural and historical commonalities of the region, emphasizing that despite political divisions, the cultural and historical memory remains unified. "Political borders may have separated us, but there are no borders in our culture, history, rituals, and collective memory. We see evidence of this continuity in ceremonies such as Yalda Night and Nowruz, which are celebrated magnificently across the entire region."

Salehi Amiri contrasted the region's unity with the history of European integration. He stated that while Europe achieved convergence after centuries of war, "we have possessed shared cultural and civilizational ties from the very beginning."

"In our region, war has not been the rule, but the exception. I hope that by relying on this civilizational heritage, the path for easier movement of nations will be opened, because the true understanding of nations is only achieved through direct encounters with the cities, streets, and daily lives of the people," he stressed.

Culture and Art as the Greatest Natural Capital

The Minister described the identity of ECO member nations as "intertwined," noting: "A part of Iran's identity is found in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and a part of those countries' identity is rooted in Iran... Our great cultural figures, whether they lived in Faryab, Bukhara, or Konya, all carry a single message and arise from a common root. This land is the land of one speech and one shared spirit."

He deemed culture and art the "greatest natural capital of the region," stating: "We have a thousand years of heritage in writing, calligraphy, painting, and respect for poetry and poets; a heritage that is unparalleled anywhere in the world. Nowruz and Yalda are not merely national rituals, but pillars of the shared regional identity, and today the world is also aware of their importance and greatness."

Salehi Amiri concluded by emphasizing that "our distinctiveness lies in our culture, civilization, originality, and the nobility of our people." He reiterated his vision for enhanced regional mobility and economic activity: "I hope that an ECO Visa will one day be created; a day when the people of the region can travel freely in neighboring countries, investors can operate without concern across the entire region, and political, cultural, and economic cooperation expands based on the natural ties between nations."

End Article