Television Function for Developing Intercultural Communications of Imam Reza Pilgrimage

This paper studies Imam Reza Pilgrimage from 2 dimensions as potential making and a channel for establishing intercultural communications while describing the function of cultural communications and the cultural construction of belief institutionalized by the use of television. With respect to internal dimension, Imam Reza Pilgrimage and intercultural communications of Iranian subcultures have drawn attention and the trip of different Iranian ethnics, affiliates of different religious branches and villages’ inhabitants to holy city of Mashhad are considered. Considering the external dimension or international intercultural communications, the trip of Shiites from different countries to Mashhad is regarded as the indicator of this kind of intercultural communications. The historical & artistic attractions of Imam Reza holy shrine, specifically the outstanding architecture and history of holy shrine and identical characteristic of shrine museums for improving tourism and developing intercultural communications are investigated in this paper. Considering the role of IRIB, in order to use the potentials of intercultural communications of Imam Reza holy shrine, some suggestions are presented on media policy making to be submitted to Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (Radio & Television).