The ECO Cultural Institute, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan in Tehran, held an international webinar entitled "Khanae Del" on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, on the occasion of the 80th birth anniversary of the Tajik poet Loiq Sherali.
At the webinar, ambassadors and scholars of the ECO region, including Sarvar Bakhti, President, ECO Cultural Institute, Khusrav Noziri, Secretary General, Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Dr. Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel, President, Iranian Academy of Persian Language and Literature, Dr. Nizomiddin Zohidi, Ambassador of Tajikistan to Iran , Mohammad Taghi Saberi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Tajikistan, Dr. Mohammad Jafar Yahaghi, a professor at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Dr. Sarvar Molaei, Permanent Member of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature of Iran (from Afghanistan), Odil Ikrom, Translator of Poems by Loiq into Uzbek language, Dr. Abdulkholiq Nabavi, a Tajik scholar, spoke on Sherali’s great role in Tajik and regional literature, his place in poetry, and the characteristics of his poems.
Sarvar Bakhti, President, ECO Cultural Institute, in his speech emphasized the valuable contributions of Loiq Sherali to national self-awareness, his efforts in development of language and literature and his place in regional literature. “Loiq’s poems are so inspiring that rarely could be found in poetry of others. In my opinion, that’s one of the reasons for the popularity and fame of his poems. His poems are whispered affectionately by people throughout the region; his poetry also has been sung by singers. Because Loiq has used a language that could be understood in all Persian-speaking areas." He said.
Khusrav Noziri, Secretary General, Economic Cooperation Organization, stressed that the people of the Economic Cooperation Organization member countries have common and deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, and the expansion of cooperation and cultural exchanges has been emphasized in the basic document of the organization, i.e. "Treaty of Izmir ". It is one of the important pillars of the organization.
While considering the webinar important for preserving the memory of Loiq Sherali, the ECO Secretary General, pointed to the role of this genuine literary figure in the development of contemporary literature and said: It is not easy to talk about Loiq Sherali, a famous author and a thoughtful poet, you must be a poet and a researcher to grasp the meaning of every verse. By preserving the spirit of common poetic traditions, inspired by the global message of peace and empathy, he was able to create the most successful connection with classical Persian poetry. By transforming Tajik poetic literature and in-depth study of classical literature, this esteemed poet was able to acquaint us with classical concepts, new methods, and modern language. The influence of Ferdowsi, Khayyam and Rumi is evident in Loiq's poems. Following Ferdowsi, he was one of the first poets to compose his collection of poems entitled "Inspiration from the Shahnameh". Despite some believe the period of composing a quatrain has ended, he was also inspired by Khayyam in his poems.
The ECO Secretary General congratulated the people of the region on the ratification of the Charter of ECO Cultural Institute by Turkey and expressed hope that with Turkey's accession to the ECO Cultural Institute, we will see more and more developments and cooperation with this country.
Dr. Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel, President, of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, pointed to Loiq's position among the region's writers and said: "Loiq Sherali is one of the poets and writers who have had a lasting impact on the positive development of language and poetry in Tajikistan. It seemed to me that among the literary figures of the last century, Loiq Sherali Ali is most similar to Malek osh-Sho'arā Bahār and like him, he knew well and loved the ancient Persian literature and Khorasani style. He was inspired by such literature and created his own contemporary language.
Dr. Nizomiddin Zohidi, Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Islamic Republic of Iran, highlighted Loiq's role in composing poems which encourage unity and referred to the issue of self-knowledge in the works of this famous author. "Loiq sought to link Tajik historical and national identity to the Tajik poetry that had lost its identity. Through his research in this field, he made a great contribution to strengthening the historical and national foundation of Tajik poetry and the further expansion of self-knowledge poetry in Tajik literature after the 1960s ".
The Ambassador of Tajikistan used the title "Zaban nameh" for the poems describing the Tajik language written by the Tajik People's Poet and his significant contribution to the preservation of the Tajik language.
The Ambassador pointed out the initiatives of the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon for promotion of literature and commemoration of Loiq Sherali, including :placement of his statue in the city of Panjkent, naming several cultural institutions after him, frequent publication of the poet's "Divan", and publication of his books in Iran.
Mohammad Taghi Saberi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Tajikistan, also praised Loiq's high position in Persian literature, and said: "Undoubtedly, Loiq Sherali has been one of the great poets and one of the prominent and influential figures in the cultural and social sphere of Tajikistan and Persian literature in the last half century. Loiq considered the preservation and development of the Persian language and ancestral literature as one of the important factors of the national identity of the Tajik people."
Comparing the literary style of Loiq and Ferdowsi, Dr. Mohammad Jafar Yahaghi, a professor at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, said: "Loiq composed his poetry at the time when the Tajik government needed independence, as Ferdowsi wrote the Shahnameh at the time when Iran needed independence. The cultural similarity and harmony between Loiq and Ferdowsi had created fascination between them. Loiq used these elements well for the Tajik people's dignity and his later efforts immortalize him on Tajik history as a popular poet."
Analyzing Loiq's poems about language and homeland, Dr. Sarvar Molaei, Afghan researcher and permanent member of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, said: " The more we explore Loiq's views, the more we understand that we have actually taken the path he desired . Reading his poems re-strengthens the affinity to our common background, literary, cultural and historical identity with the Tajik Persian speakers; of course, I must point out that Loiq Sherali recognizes that it is impossible to return to this identity, unless using the mother tongue. Loiq's feelings about his mother tongue is how I feel, is the same feelings all Persian speaking across the world have ."
Speaking of Loiq's popularity in Uzbekistan, Odil Ikrom, Translator of Poems by Loiq into Uzbek language, said: "Loiq Sherali's poetry is sophisticated; You cannot understand them by brain, you should perceive them by your heart . Loiq Shearli's poems have been translated into Uzbek by various poets of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, but the available translations did not convince me completely; Hence, I decided to translate his "Madarnameh" and some other philosophic and romantic poems of Loiq into Uzbek. The translation was published under the title "Onaginam in one thousand copies in the state-owned publishing house "Rahim Jalil" in Khujand ".
Dr. Abdulkholiq Nabavi, a Tajik scholar, expressed some interesting ideas about the various aspects of the life and creations of the famous Tajik poet, and said: " According to Golnazar, in contemporary Tajik literature, especially in poetry, Loiq Sherali is, in fact, a "revolutionary" figure. His creations, his works are considered a complete literature. This means that in » there are so many subjects, so many problems, so many ideas, so many things that can be source of inspiration for contemporary Tajik poetry".
The virtual meeting also featured videos of poetry readings by the late Professor Loiq Sherali, of his photographs, and songs by Tajik singers based on Loiq's poems.
The Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan in Tehran, in cooperation with the ECO Cultural Institute, plans to publish a collection of his poems in Persian script on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Tajik poet.