[caption id="attachment_103745" align="alignright" width="188"] Mr. Serge Nakouzi, FAO Representative ai (at extreme right) delivering the GIAHS certificate to the Minister for Jihad-e-Agriculture, Mr. Mahmoud Hojjati(second from left). Looking on are: Mr. Abdolmehdi Bakhshandeh, Deputy Minister for Planning and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture (second from right) and Mr. Haoliang Xu, Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Bureau Director for Asia-Pacific (left).[/caption]
Following the recognition of the Kashan Qanat Irrigation Agriculture System in Iran by the GIAHS Steering Committee as a globally important agricultural heritage system, the Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture organised a high-level ceremony on Tuesday, 24 June 2014, for the official bestowment of the GIAHS certification by FAO to the Minister for Jihad-e-Agriculture, Mr. Mahmoud Hojjati.
The ceremony had broad media coverage at the national level, and was attended by the senior government officials along with the heads of UN agencies in Iran and representatives from Italy, Japan and ECO.
FAO Representative a.i., Mr. Serge Nakouzi as well as the UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Haoliang Xu, and the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Gary Lewis, delivered speeches commending the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture for attaining this important achievement.