Rumi belongs to all humanity
Head of the National Library and Archives of Iran, Alireza Mokhtarpour, emphasized the cultural, linguistic, and religious commonalities between Iran and Turkey, stating that the works of well-known figures like Rumi are not only of high importance for Persian speakers but belong to all humanity, regardless of their geographical origins.
During a visit to various sections of the Iranian library, Darya Ors, Chairman of Ataturk Higher Institute of Culture, Language and History, met and held discussions with Mokhtarpour.
In the meeting, Ors expressed hope for broader cooperation in the fields of culture, language, written heritage, and archives, especially in light of reduced bilateral collaboration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mokhtarpour emphasized the cultural, linguistic, religious, and neighborly ties between the two countries, highlighting that today, the works of great personalities such as Rumi, irrespective of their geographical origins, are not only of importance to Persian speakers but are the heritage of all humanity and all eras.
Mokhtarpour highlighted the importance of implementing the cooperation agreement between Iran and Turkey’s national libraries, which had been disrupted due to the spread of the coronavirus.
Furthermore, Fatemeh Sadr, Deputy for Research and Digital Resources at the National Library and Archives of Iran, emphasized the scientific and research activities of faculty members in fields such as Iranian studies, Islamic studies, and artificial intelligence.
She also stressed the need for further cooperation in education, research, and digitalization of resources.
Esmat Momeni, deputy director of the Iranian national library, expressed hope for fruitful collaborations in book exchanges, especially in the fields of Iranian studies and Islamic studies, given the presence of over 7,000 libraries in Iran benefiting from library services.
During the Turkish delegation’s visit, Yüksel Özgen, president of the Turkish Historical Society, Eğer Ünale, head of the State Archives Organization under the Presidency of Turkey, Osman Murat, caretaker of the Turkish Language Foundation, and Faruk Özpilavcı, head of the Turkish Written Works Organization, were also in attendance.