1. What actions are on the agenda for introducing Persian poets?

The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is a regional organization of ten member states. And there are three major families of languages, namely, Persian, Turkish and Urdu, in the ECO region. While the national governments of all the esteemed member states take measures to promote their own national language, the ECO Cultural Institute (ECI) plays its role to promote language, literature and poetry of all these families of languages, which obviously includes Persian, being the dominant language of the host state.

However, it is also evident that Persian poetry had broad influence in areas much beyond the present day Iran. For instance, famous Persian poet Ustad Rudaki was born in Rudak in what is now Tajikistan; Nizami Ganjavi was born in Ganj in what is now Azerbaijan, Iqbal Lahori was born in Sialkot in what is now Pakistan, while Magtymguly Pragi, despite significant part of his poetry being in Persian, was proud of his Turkmen heritage. Likewise, another noted Persian poet Mawlana Rumi was born in present day Afghanistan and died in present day Turkiye but remains a shining star of Persian poetry.

However, it goes without saying that the influence of noted Persian poets Saadi, Hafiz and Ferdowsi who were born in present day Iran, goes much beyond the borders of the country. By celebrating the anniversaries as well as lives and works of all the above named poets and holding book launches of books about them, the ECI continues to play its role in the promotion of Persian poetry and also using the poetry for bringing the nations of the region closer together.

2. What measures have been taken to translate the works of poets and writers from ECO member countries and introduce them?

The ECI is firmly committed to promote the literature of each country within the ECO region in other countries. Language is the main communication tool of the human beings. Translation of works of literary significance from one language into another remains the corner stone of the ECI efforts to introduce the thoughts emerging in one country into all the other member states.

So far, the ECI has published 59 books in the past two decades and there are already around ten more in the pipeline. Although not all of those books are translation works but many, in fact, are. The ECI is publishing the English translation of a Persian work on Mawlana Rumi done by famous Iranian scholar. We have also commissioned a translation of a Persian travelogue of Pakistan by an Iranian university teacher to introduce her work for Urdu readership. On the flip side, we are also arranging the translation of three Urdu masterpieces on Iran written by South Asian scholars into Persian.

We are also involved in seminars and webinars on the importance of translation and cross-lingual literary traditions, the latest in the series of seminars was held on the sidelines of the 35th Tehran International Book Fair. We are also planning a book launch in Islamabad in the coming months for the Urdu translation of the works of famous Iranian Scholar Golamali Haddad Adel.

3. How do you evaluate the popularity of Iranian poets in ECO member countries?

I think many of the greatest poets of Iran are equally popular within and outside the country, especially in the ECO region. The works of Sa'di are an essential syllabus component in many universities across the region in Persian language departments. Ferdowsi is equally well known in the region where streets or buildings are named after him in different countries. Not to be left behind is Hafiz and his famous Divan which is read on important events and family occasions in various societies.

However, due to the centuries-old linkages between the peoples of the region, there is as strong evidence of non-Iranian Persian poets being equally popular in Iran. As stated earlier, many of the leading lights of Persian poetry were born outside of what is now modern Iran. Still, people love them and own them as one of them.

4. To what extent has Persian literature been able to promote unity and closeness among the countries?

The Persian literature, the Urdu literature, the Turkish literature and all other forms of literature have a primal role in promoting unity. I must add here that I am referring to literature in a much broader and general sense than the written or published poetry and fiction alone. In an age, where book reading is becoming a rare habit, the way to promote culture is through cinema screens, television serials, video platforms and music streaming apps.

In other words, it is not only books of literature such as Golestan e Saadi or 'Shahnamaeh' of Ferdowsi or 'Masnvavi' of Maulana Rumi but also the literary expressions in other forms of visual arts and performing arts that promote languages, build bridges between nations and contribute to better understanding of each other’s history and culture.

The novels and stories that are picturized into fiction films, the dialogues that become part of a television drama serial or the musical compositions that become instant hits on platforms such as YouTube, are the way of the future for the promotion of literature amongst and between countries. That holds equally true for Persian literature as it does for Urdu or Turkish literature. It is important to promote Persian movies and drama serials in all the seven non-Persian speaking ECO member states. And the ECI plans to play its role in this regard.

5. Which literary and cultural institutions in Iran do you cooperate with in holding various festivals and programs?

For the purpose of cultural collaboration, our main focal agency in the Islamic Republic of Iran is the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and within it, the Islamic Culture & Relations Organization (ICRO). The ECI has the full support of Iran's Minister of Culture Mr. Ismaili (PhD) and also the head of the ICRO, Ayatollah Imanipour.

I will also specifically mention three organizations whose support we cherish including the Sa'di Foundation headed by Mr. Golamali Haddad Adel (PhD); the Society for Appreciation of Cultural Works and Dignitaries under the able leadership of Mr. Shaloee (PhD); the Tehran Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Center under the stewardship of Ms. Atusa Momeni (PhD) and the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT) quite ably led by Mr. Deh Pehlavan (PhD).

We are also grateful to another figure Mr. Divsalar (PhD), who is now Advisor to the ECI for his continuous support in ensuring close collaboration of the ECI with regional agencies and governorates within the Islamic Republic of Iran.

6. How well do the people of the ECO region know about each other's elites? What plans does the institution have in this regard?

The importance of owning each other’s national figures is very important for the people to feel a sense of common identity and also for a sense of shared history.

It is important that the thoughts of revolutionary leaders such as Imam Khomeini of Iran, Mohammad Ali Jinnah of Pakistan, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk of Turkey, as well as the post independence leadership amongst Caucus and Central Asian member states of ECO, are made part of standard secondary school curricula across the region.

The ECI is in close contact with cultural institutions across the member states with a view to organizing joint seminars and webinars about the luminaries of ECO nations including national leaders, historical figures and literary giants. The ECI has another plan to start coordination between the national television and the radio agencies of the member states. Amongst the proposed exchange of programs, we encourage documentaries on important personalities of each state to be screened in TV channels of the other countries.

7. There are rumors that new members have joined the cultural institution. Can you explain your efforts in this field?

There is a lot of potential for growth in the ECI membership. Several neighboring states have expressed interest in joining the ECI at one time or the other including at least one Arab state and one state in the Caucus.

There is also a potential of special regions in the member states such as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus or the Azad (free) State of Jammu and Kashmir to eventually attain an observer status.

If the member states agree, the ECI can also offer observer status to Muslim majority autonomous regions such as Ingushetia, Tatarstan, Abkhazia etc in non Member States in the contiguous regions.

Such expansion will increase diversity within the organization, increase its revenues and scope of operations, and help in preserving Muslim civilizational heritage in neighboring regions such as in Russia, Georgia, and if the definition of “region” is stretched a little more, the occupied Palestine as well. However, it all depends on the consensus between the member states and decisions at appropriate forums such as the Council of Ministers. If a decision on expansion is taken, the ECI is bound to implement the decisions of the sovereign member states.