The ECO Cultural Institute held a literary session entitled “A Review and Critique of the Book One Thousand Pearls: One Thousand Proverbs from ECO Member States” on Tuesday, January,27 2026, at the ECI’s library.
According to the ECO Cultural Institute’s information portal, the session was attended by a group of researchers, writers, cultural activists, and enthusiasts of literature and folklore. During the event, various content-related, cultural, and linguistic aspects of the book were examined.
At the beginning of the ceremony, Ambassador Mohammad Hassan, President of the ECO Cultural Institute, referred to the main objective behind the publication of this Book and stated:
“One Thousand Pearls is an invitation to reflection and to drawing inspiration from the collective wisdom of the peoples of the region. This work not only reflects a love for preserving and promoting folk culture, but also symbolizes the ECO Cultural Institute’s commitment to safeguarding the cultural and emotional heritage of the member nations of this organization.”
Subsequently, Mehrdad Rakhshandeh, ECO Executive Director; Dr. Abbas Qanbari, a folklore researcher; Shahram Soltani, Managing Director of Aron Publishing; Morteza Qasemi, Researcher and Literary Scholar; and Shah-Mansour Shahmirza, the Compiler of the Book and an ECO expert from Tajikistan, delivered speeches on the cultural and intercultural values of the Book.
The speakers, while examining the shared roots of proverbs among ECO member nations, emphasized the importance of transmitting this heritage to future generations and highlighted the role of such collections in strengthening cultural ties within the region.
The session was moderated by Dr. Zahra Aslani. At the end, participants raised questions regarding the methods of collecting the proverbs, cultural differences, and the editorial process of the work, which were addressed by the speakers.
It is worth noting that One Thousand Pearls comprises a compilation and translation of one thousand selected proverbs from the member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). Published by the ECO Cultural Institute in 1404 (2025–2026), the Book is considered an effective step toward expanding cultural dialogue among the nations of the region.