The Persian language is the main factor behind Iranians’ national unity and the common heritage of all Persian speakers around the globe, said the culture minister on Tuesday.

The minister stressed that in view of its great importance, preserving, improving and promoting the civilization-creating Persian language is an essential and valuable responsibility to ensure the independence and sovereignty of Iran and its people.

He noted, “The individual and social identities of each of us is dependent on the Persian language, which serves as the charter forming the cultural foundation of all Iranians.”

The minister urged protecting and enhancing the age-long treasure free from any shortsightedness and archaic, racist and ethnically-biased approaches.

Esmaeili said Iran’s name has always been linked and associated with poetry, literature and culture, noting that throughout history, Iranian people have always been in contact with verse and prose.

He stressed that the country’s men, women, children, youths, elderly, scholars and laymen have always found great pleasure in poetry, which has always been an inseparable part of their lives.

The minister called on the people to commemorate and hold dear the shining stars of Persian poetry and literature.

September 18, concurrent with the death anniversary of the great modern Iranian poet Mohammad Hossein Behjat Tabrizi, also known as Shahriar, has been named National Day of Persian Poetry and Literature.

In a ceremony on Sunday, the sixth edition of the International Persian Poetry and Literature Congress celebrated the occasion at Milad Tower in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

In an address to the ceremony, President of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel said, “Shahriar proved that Iranians are one nation beyond the differences in language and culture.”

Shahriar was born in Tabriz in 1903 and died on September 18, 1988. He wrote poems in both the Azari and Persian languages.

 

 

Source: Iran Daily