At the expert panel held on Monday, March 4, 2019 at ECI Headquarters featuring the presence of Dr. Arif Naushahi, the outstanding scholar, codicologist and catalogist of the sub-continent, the ECI President said: "Manuscripts are astounding displays of the art patronage of the time rulers".
According to ECI news, during the panel participated by Dr. Arif Naushahi, President of Miras Maktoob Research Institute, representative of Saadi Foundation, University of Tehran as well as Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan embassies along with a group of university professors, Dr. Mazaheri, the ECI President pointed to the ancient commonalities of language and script in ECO region and the necessity of safeguarding the surviving legacies. He further expressed ECI's readiness to support the idea of 'manuscript's diplomacy' in the way to promote the cultural commonalities of the ECO nations.
"ECI makes particular efforts to consolidate ties in ECO Region through conservation of the cultural heritage of the region", he added.
The next speaker at the panel was Dr. Akbar Irani, President of Miras Maktoob Research Institute who appreciated the special attention being paid and the cooperation rendered by the ECI President and said: "A-thousand-year background of Persian language in this region has provided unique opportunities in establishing 'manuscripts' diplomacy". Pointing to the existence of thousands of manuscripts across the ECO countries, he continued: "The catalog of manuscripts is the best existing bond among the nations". Irani concluded his remarks praising the great job done by Dr. Arif Naushahi in the field of preservation of written heritage of the region.
Elsewhere at the panel, Dr. Arif Naushahi appreciated ECI and Miras Maktoob's efforts for organizing the panel and while presenting a brief report of his activies, he said: "Persian language is a priceless treasure that must be preserved and utilized more than ever before".
Other speaker of the panel were Dr. Akhgari, secretary of Iqbal Lahoori' Award at ECI, who pointed to the establishment of the award during Dr. Mazaheri's tenure and said: "Lahore and Delhi are not less famous than shiraz, Toos, Samarkand and Bukhara in terms of literature and through holding Iqbal Award at ECI, we intend to recognize and support those literary figures who, using Persian language, create valuable literary pieces across the ECO Region".