Islamabad, Dec 9, IRNA -- Pakistan and Iran Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation for the promotion and development of the national languages of the two countries.
The MoU was signed by Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Dr. Nazir Saeed and Head of Academy of Persian Language and Literature Dr. Gholam Ali Haddad Adel at a ceremony in Islamabad.
The MoU will help in strengthening the brotherly relations between Iran and Pakistan. It will help enhance opportunity for both countries to interact with each other on modern lines for mutual benefits.
Under the MoU both countries will grasp benefits of development of technology in the field of typography and other different aspects of the language.
Haddad Adel on the occasion said that the MoU would help both countries save their national languages from the influence of foreign languages.
He said that Persian is the matter of pride for Iran and Urdu is the matter of pride for Pakistan. He added that MoU would further enhance the cooperation between the two brotherly countries.
He said that Iran's Academy of Persian Language and Literature is making all out efforts to make Persian as a living language. Haddad Adel expressing his views said that English language is posing a great threat to Persian and Urdu languages.
Member of Iranian Parliament added that for the past twenty years a group of Iranian scholars has been working to find replacement of English words that are used in the Persian languages. "So far they have replaced 45,000 English words with Persian words," he said.
The Iranian scholar said that Persian and Urdu languages are closely related. He went on to say that after the MoU both countries can take benefit from each other's experience in language sector.
In the end of his speech Haddad Adel recited some versus about the close relationship between Iran and Pakistan.
Secretary of Information Dr. Nazir Saeed termed the MoU as milestone in promoting the Urdu and Persian languages.
He said three more MoUs on promotion of cultures will soon be signed between Pakistan and Iran.
Talking to IRNA, he said that originally Persian and Urdu are very close to each other and the MoU would enhance cooperation between Iran and Pakistan.
He said that according to the MoU both countries would arrange programs for national language promotion and facilitate each other in the field of language.
Haddad Adel giving details about the MoU told IRNA that it is signed for the period of five years and would be renewed automatically if both sides have no objection.
He said MoU will also provide avenue for joint training programs‚ exchange of trainers‚ training and information material.
He added that exchange of knowledge‚ experience and delegations and arrangements of joint research will also benefit both countries in the development of their national languages.
At the end of the MoU signing ceremony Haddad Adel and Nazir Saeed exchanged souvenirs.
Ali Reza Haghighian, Iranˈs Ambassador to Pakistan and Dr Taqi Sadiqi, Cultural Counselor of Iran were also present in the ceremony.