Iran awards honorary doctorate to Turkish museum official

February 17, 2012 - 15:24
TEHRAN -- Shams-i Tabrizi University has presented an Honorary Doctorate to Mevlana Museum Deputy Director Naci Bakirci.
 
The ceremony took place on Wednesday at the venue of the university in Khoy, West Azerbaijan Province attended by Bakirci and deputy director of the university Mosayyeb Shokrollahzadeh, the Persian service of ISNA reported.
 
Shokrollahzadeh said that Bakiric was granted the doctorate for his lifetime efforts in introducing the ideas and thoughts of Iranian mystic and poet Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273) to the world.
 
He added that there are plans to establish a course of studies on Rumi and Shams at the university to help globalize their esteemed thoughts and ideas.
 
Born in the city of Tabriz, Shams lived together with Rumi in Konya for several years, and has been immortalized in Rumi’s collection of poetry named the “Divan of Shams ad-Din of Tabriz”.
 
Bakirci also expressed happiness over being honored and promised to collaborate.
 
The tomb of Shams is located in Khoy and is in the form of a 12-meter high cylindrical tower. The monument was erected by Shah-Esmaeil in the Safavid era.
 
RM/YAW
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