TEHRAN – The 6th edition of the International Persian Poetry and Literature Congress will celebrate the National Day of Persian Poetry and Literature at Tehran’s Milad Tower on Sunday.

This day is observed every year on the death anniversary of the most prominent figure of contemporary Persian poetry Mohammad-Hossein Behjat Tabrizi – Shahriar.

Several of the over 480 articles submitted to the congress will be presented during the event, which will be attended by literati and a number of cultural officials, including Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili and Academy of Persian Language and Literature director Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel.

Among the topics scheduled to be discussed at the congress are the aesthetics in Shahriar’s poems, the wide range of literary devices he used in his poetry, the sociology of his works, his influence on Persian poetry and the influence of other poets on his poetry.

Speaking in a press conference held last week to brief the media about the congress, Coordination Council for Preservation of the Persian Language secretary Mahmud Shalui called Shahriar a genius of Persian poetry and literature.

“The Academy of Persian Language and Literature, and different departments of the culture ministry across Iran have arranged a variety of cultural programs to commemorate Shahriar,” he said.

He added that there will be special programs in Tabriz, the capital of East Azarbaijan Province, which is home to Shahriar’s birthplace and tomb.

“He deserves a greater appreciation; the outstanding Persian poetry master composed both in Persian and Azerbaijani,” Shalui said.

As the most prominent figure of contemporary Persian literature, Shahriar was mainly influenced by the poetry of Hafez, a Persian poet writing in the 14th century. 

Shahriar, who also composed works in Azerbaijani, published his first book of poems in 1929 with prefaces by Persian literature scholars Mohammad-Taqi Bahar, Saeid Nafisi and Pejman Bakhtiari.

“Heidar Babaya Salam” is Shahriar’s most famous Azerbaijani poetry collection, which highlights his birthplace, the village of Heidar Baba.

Photo: A bust of Persian poet Shahriar is seen in front of Maqbarat ush-Shoara in Tabriz, which houses his tomb and the graves of several other poets.

MMS/YAW