Iranian satirist Kioumars Saberi commemorated
The late Iranian writer and satirist Kioumars Saberi was honored in a ceremony on Friday, graced by the presence of Iran’s Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister, Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili.
During the event, Esmaeili emphasized the importance of cultivating a spirit of humor within the country, harnessing the Iranian people’s innate poetic and literary prowess to effectively convey messages through irony, metaphor, and humor, according to IRNA.
He stressed the need to fortify this distinctive characteristic of Iranian society with a dedicated approach.
Minister Esmaeili made these remarks on the occasion of the 7th National Satire and Media Festival, known as “Tanz Pahloo.”
He lauded Saberi’s exceptional ability to captivate audiences with his artistry and creativity, as evident in the monthly satirical magazine ‘Golagha,’ which left readers eagerly anticipating each new issue. Saberi’s writing demonstrated a polite and noble style, ‘Golagha’ conscientiously observed the boundaries of religious traditions and societal decorum.
Highlighting the approaching 20th anniversary of Saberi’s passing, Esmaeili emphasized the importance of ensuring that future generations will remember Saberi’s contributions even more than the present one.
A provincial official in Gilan, Reza Seqati, also shared insights from the festival, noting a remarkable 28% increase in submissions to the secretariat compared to the previous year. A total of 1,318 works were submitted to the festival, of which 21 outstanding contributions were honored.
Minister Esmaeili underscored that humor serves as a universal language, fostering understanding and providing a shared means of communication between people and officials. Expressing social demands through humor allows for the articulation of concerns without causing harm.
Born in 1941 in Gilan Province, Kioumars Saberi, widely known by his pen name “Golagha,” was a prominent contemporary writer and satirist.
After battling leukemia for an extended period, Saberi passed away in Tehran in 2004.
His influential work, ‘A Couple of Sensible Words,’ served as the impetus for the creation of the national festival.