Vietnam Academy Of Social Sciences

Joint workshop “The role of Persian literature and Saadi in expanding cultural diplomacy between Vietnam and Iran”

29/06/2015

On May 27th 2015, at meeting hall 3D, No. 1A Lieu Giai, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran co-organized joint workshop “The role of Persian literature and Saadi in expanding cultural diplomacy between Vietnam and Iran” with participation of international representatives: H.E. Mr. Hossein Alvandi Behineh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Vietnam; Dr. Rezamorad Sahraei, Deputy Head of Allameh Tabataba'I University; Ambassadors of Brunei, Qatar, Palestine, Venezuela, Sudan, Algeria, Pakistan; Charge d’affaires ad interim, Deputy Chiefs of Mission, Commissioners of Iraq, Oman, Kazakhstan; and diplomats of foreign embassies in Hanoi. For VASS, there were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Duc, Vice President of VASS; Leadership representatives from institutions under directly VASS; experts and researchers from specific institutes, as well as people who concern Iran, Iranian literature and cooperative relation between Vietnam Iran.

Assoc. Prof. Dr.   Pham Van Duc  was having a speech at the Workshop

On his opening speech of the Workshop, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Duc, Vice President of VASS emphasized, in recent years, relation in literature-culture between Vietnam and Iran is of significantly initial step, from mediate translation of Persian literature (Iran) via the 3rd language to development of translators who are able to translation from Persian language into Vietnamese language. Initially there were only some odd works, gradually there is relatively systematic introduction Iranian literature in Vietnam including folk stories, antique poems, fable poems, modern novel. Recently, greater translation works appeared such as Anthology of Persian antique poems (printed in 2011), Persian fable poems and Blind owl (printed in 2012) that were accepted and highly evaluated by Vietnamese readers. Being used to poetry of the Iranian Great poet Saadi Shirazi, literary researchers initially indicate his similarities to the Vietnamese leading antique authors including Emperor-Zen master-poet Tran Nhan Tong, poet-national liberation hero Nguyen Trai, philosophical poet Nguyen Binh Khiem, Great poet Nguyen Du. And, in March of 2015, the Vietnam Institute of Literature published a specific issue on Literary Studies of Great poet Saadi Shirazi (about 1203-1291), Iranian excellent cultural notable of all time.

 

Following the speech of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Duc, H.E. Mr. Hossein Alvandi Behineh confirmed Iran and Vietnam have established diplomatic relations since 1973. The two states made a lot of efforts to develop relations in tourism, education, science, culture… but there are still potentialities for expansion. Being used to languages and literature of the two countries is not only useful in development of cultural relation, and valuable to friendly exchange among intellectuals but also exchange between people of the two countries. For this purpose, opening class in Persian language, sending teachers of Persian language to Vietnam for teaching, printing some Persian literary works, awarding scholarships of Persian language to Vietnamese students and similar activities are all activities of Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Hanoi in recent years. So far there have been 10 scholarships awarded to Vietnamese students. Iranian Ministry of Research and Technology agreed to award extra 10 scholarships for bachelor, master and doctor degrees.

The participants heard presentations of "Persian literature and Great poet Saadi by Dr. Rezamorad Sahraei, Deputy Head of Allameh Tabataba'I University; “Similarities between Great poet Saadi (Iran) and Nguyen Trai (Vietnam)” by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Son, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute of Literature. According to the two researchers, Great poet Saadi (Iran) and Nguyen Trai (Vietnam) had much similar works and lives. The two both understand deeply grief of losing their countries and juggernaut of wars. For Saadi it was Baghdad antique walls being demolished, the country was invaded, irrigation infrastructural facilities that used to support Mesopotamian civilization to develop for many millenniums were ruined. For Nguyen Trai, Thang Long capital city was changed into Dong Quan, Great Viet country fell into wretched situation. For private lives, the two were born in families of intellectuals, rank and fashion; both had fates being inextricably linked to the countries, nations. Saadi was arrested in the Crusade in Acre region and lost 7 years in serving the invader, while Nguyen Trai was confined for 10 years in Dong Quan and spent later 10 years on participation in the fight for national liberation. In terms of verse thought, both Saadi and Nguyen Trai all had magical similarities. The most obvious character is expression of human consciousness in both centripetal trend (toward the mainstream, rules, norms, ethics, dynasty, community, countries, nations) and centrifugal trend (expressing private mind, personal assertion, on the sidelines, humanistic aspirations, normal days), ect.

The workshop in panorama   The participants were having a photo for souvenir

The participants ebulliently discussed on Great poet Saadi, many raised questions were explained convincingly by Dr. Rezamorad Sahraei.

Introduction of Great poet Saadi Shirazi and other Iranian great poets and writers as well as Iranian literary heritage in Vietnam is one of the first steps to contribute to promotion of understanding, exchange and cooperation between the two countries, opening prospect of research on literature – culture between Iran and Vietnam in the next time./.

Nguyen Thu Ha



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