The Heyran Tourism Village in Astara, Gilan province, Iran, hosted its annual Borage Festival on May 23, 2025. This event highlighted the region's rich ecological and cultural heritage, focusing on the medicinal plant Gol-e Gavzaban (borage).
Astara is known for its diverse vegetation and abundance of medicinal plants, including nettle, wild oregano, angelica, thyme, and mint. Borage, or Gol-e Gavzaban, is culturally significant and valued for its medicinal properties, having been used in Iranian traditional medicine for centuries to strengthen the heart and nerves.
The festival aimed to promote Astara's tourism appeal and climatic diversity. It showcased the borage value chain, from cultivation to export, and featured local handicrafts, traditional dishes, and the region's natural beauty. Seyyed Saeed Mirqorbani, central governor of Astara, emphasized the region's ecotourism potential and the festival's role in promoting production, exports, and tourism.