During the final days of 1384 (the
Iranian Calendar), , the Deputy for Press and Advertising (Ministry of Culture
and Islamic Guidance) , upon the proposal by the director general of the Office
for Advertising and Information, and due to need for specifically considering
public relations in Iran via naming a special day as public relations, made a
formal request to the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance in order to name
a day as the day of public relations. The letter, pointed to the proceedings and
suggestions made by active agencies and institutes in the field of public
relation. It also mentioned some significant reasons for determining a day as
the day of public relations as:
- Stressing the importance of public relations at the public opinion level
- Explaining the necessity of attention to public relations at the level of
senior managers and promoting their views in this regard
- Integration of various ceremonies honouring public relations into one specific
day
Responding to this request, through the letter No. 1555/A, dated to 10.12.2006,
the director general of public cultural council announced: Regarding the
suggestions for naming a day as “Day of PR” , and according to the Act no. 590,
approved in 19.9.2006 session of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution,
Ordibehesth 27th (May 17th) is determined and announced as “the Day of
Communications and Public Relations”.
Then, in 23.12.2006, talking to the media, Director General of the office for
Advertising and Information (Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance) stated:
Naming May 17th as the day of public relations reflects the sheer determination
of the respective officials, regarding the significance and function of public
relation agencies.
The First National Conference on Communications and Public Relations
The First National Conference on Communications and Public Relations was hold on
Thursday, May 17, 2007, in the Conference Hall of Islamic Countries Leader. In
the conference, the stamp commemorating the National Day of Communications and
Public Relations was unveiled in the presence of President, Ministers of
Industry and Minerals, Housing and Urban Development, the government spokesman
and the chairman of government council of information.
Moreover, the regulations for celebrating “the Day of Public Relation”, in 5
chapters and 11 articles was approved and notified in 4.3.2007, thus, as
mentioned, public relations, after 56 years, registered a day to its name.
Iranian Public Relation on the Track Toward
Professionalism
Despite all usual obstacles before a progressive society on its path toward
development, fortunately Public relations in Iran is stepping toward playing a
professional role and having a major influence in cultural, societal, economic
and international events.
Now, years of attempt and constant pursuits by those involved in public
relations and communications society, resulted in naming a day, as public
relations. Consequently we, as public relations, are highly required to put our
best foot forward so as to achieve those targets set around PR day in the formal
calendar of the state. Considering that May 17th is also the international day
of communications and information society, the issue becomes more important.
May 17th, reflects the major significance and the leading part of this area of
man’s science, as a field that applies different arts, it has become the beating
heart of different collections, and now it is impossible to imagine any
institute/organisation without what this sector performs, including assessment
of strengths and weaknesses of organisations and forming the public opinion and
establishing inhouse and outhouse connections.
Public relations day is a good reason to once more remind each other that
economic, social and cultural developments of a society depends upon procedures
such as equal distribution of information, upgrading and improving public
opinion and orientation toward audience. Undoubtedly the said duties should be
performed by public relations management of organisations, institutes, companies
and other social, political, cultural and economic centres and other public or
private agencies.
Mehdi Bagherian
Head of Iran Association of Public Relations Specialists