Iran, Palestine sign cultural MOU

TEHRAN,Sept.9(MNA) -- Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Palestinian elected government’s culture minister, Muhammad Al-Madhoun, during the closing ceremony of the New Horizon Festival at Vahdat Hall on Friday. Hosseini called the agreement a beginning for joint art and cultural activities between the two countries, the Persian news agencies reported on Saturday. He also talked about an Iranian and Palestinian joint production that will portray the 22-day resistance of the Gazans against the Zionist regime in 2009, in which about 1500 Palestinians were killed. Al-Madhoun also invited the Iranian culture minister to travel to Gaza to help in organizing the art and cultural activities of his country. He also expressed his thanks to Iranian officials for their depiction of the oppression and resistance of the Palestinians against the Zionist regime during different cultural programs. He said he is happy that he was able to attend the festival, which has opened a new window to the world. About 200 works from over 70 countries were screened at the New Horizon, Iran’s international festival of independent filmmakers, which ran from September 2 to 7. Films highlighting the Occupy Wall Street movement, the Islamic Awakening, Islamic resistance against the Zionist regime and the Islamic Revolution of Iran were the festival’s first priority.