It is a great honor for me to attend such celebration programs, since Ferdowsi and Shahnameh are the art and cultural pillars of the Iranian nation.
There is no need to talk about Ferdowsi and his significance, since Shahnameh reveals its own value and it has been translated into many different languages in the world, he said.
It is the duty of UNESCO to introduce and honor world historical figures and Ferdowsi stands at the top, he added.
He also explained that many years ago in 1989, it was decided at UNESCO to celebrate the Shahnameh millennium, and today UNESCO is proud to be celebrating in a program alongside those who love Ferdowsi and Shahnameh.
Shahnameh, which is known as the “Book of Kings” in English, is the celebrated work of the epic poet Ferdowsi, in which the Persian national epic found its final and enduring form. It was completed in 1010. The Shahnameh millennium was accepted on UNESCO’s 2010 calendar of events.
Secretary General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO Mohammadreza Saeidabadi, also present at the ceremony, called Shahnameh the world’s greatest epic, and said that it is the responsibility of UNESCO to introduce and support these outstanding literary works.
An individual can find love and happiness in the shadow of peace at the heart of Shahnameh, he remarked.
He also said that UNESCO is responsible for giving a correct and proper understanding of all cultures so that everybody can live a better and happier life alongside one another.
Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Hamid Shahabadi continued, saying that Iranians are proud to have Ferdowsi and that we are indebted to him to this very day.
“Shahnameh is actually regarded as the identity of the Iranian nation. It opens a new window and teaches us the good, the bad, the beauty and the ugliness, and the poetry and its verses do exist in our lives,” he said.
The Niavaran Chamber Orchestra conducted by Nader Mortezapur next performed the composition “Simorgh” by composer Shahin Farhat. Rasul Najafian also recited excerpts from Shahnameh.
An exhibition of teahouse paintings was opened on the side section accompanied with naqqali, a style of storytelling dedicated to epic stories from Shahnameh, performed by mentor Mohsen Mirza-Ali.
RM/YAW
END
MNA