To: UNESCO, removing the name of Beydokht from Atlas Map of Iran

Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura
Director-General, UNESCO
7, place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07 SP
France

bpi@unesco.org

March 20, 2009

Dear Mr. Matsuura:

We, the undersigned, through this letter, protest irresponsible, unjustified, careless action of eliminating the name of “Town of Beydokht” (a.w.a. Bidokht) from Atlas Map of Iran; and demand an immediate and unconditional reinstatement of it on the Atlas.

Arbitrarily removing the name of “Town of Beydokht” from the Atlas is an irresponsible violation of all historical and International standards and would undermine the integrity of the Map of Iran.

For the records, Town of Beydokht is one of the largest Islamic Sufi Centre in Iran. During the Iranian New Year (Nowrooz), just in Nourouz spring holidays, more than 40,000 daily tourists and dervishes visit Beydokht, the second largest tourist attraction place after the City of Mashhad.

The worldwide Iranian people and people of Beydokht are deeply affronted by this arrogant, imprudent removal of the name of “Beydokht” from the Atlas. We demand, in the strongest possible terms, that you take immediate steps by asking Mr. Mohammed Hussein Lajevardi, the Publisher, Comprehensive Atlas of Iran, Farzanegan Publications, Tehran Iran (phone number: 21 – 8830 – 4030) to restore the rightful name of the Beydokht on the Atlas of Iran.

Sincerely,