30th Hafez Day Ceremony Held in Shiraz

The 30th International Hafez Day was held in Shiraz with the participation of university professors, researchers, writers, and enthusiasts of Hafez's poetry and thought, under the theme 'Hafez in Artistic and Literary Creations.' The scholarly event examined the diverse influences of Hafez's poetry on thought, fiction writing, architecture, performing arts, and music.

According to Ambassador Arjan, the scientific meetings of the 30th Hafez International Day were held on Monday, October 20, 1405, in the Cinema Farhang Hall of the National Library and Fars Document Center. This event was formed with the purpose of examining the connection of Hafez's poetry with various fields of art and literature and analyzing the capacities of his thought and words in artistic and literary creations.

Dr. Saeed Hossampour, the scientific secretary of Hafez Yadroz and the head of the Faculty of Literature and Humanities of Shiraz University, while presenting a report on the process of holding Yadroz, explained some of the activities and achievements of the Hafez Center for three decades and the need to support the scientific and cultural capacities of this field.

Referring to the works received at the secretariat of the 30th Hafez Yadrouz, he said: This year, 30 scientific articles and works were received at the secretariat of this event, and eight of them were selected to speak at this scientific meeting.

According to the scientific secretary of Yadrouz Hafez, eight Hafez scholars from Khorasan-Razavi, Gilan, Tehran and Fars provinces presented their latest scientific and specialized analyzes and findings about the literary and artistic works of Hafez's thought and pen in this gathering.

Emphasizing the unique position of Hafez's poetry in the culture and art of Iran and the world, Dr. Hossampour said: Hafez's poetry is not just a collection of words, but a magnificent architecture of thought, meaning and aesthetics that has penetrated the boundaries of language and has become a generative source for the creation of original artistic and literary works.

He added: Hafez's speech has been the source of many original artistic creations over the centuries. From the lasting effects of calligraphy, painting and gilding to authentic Iranian music and contemporary literature of Iran and the world, the presence and influence of his poetry can be clearly seen. Therefore, examining the reflection of Hafez's thought in art and literature, in addition to recognizing the literary heritage of the past, can be the basis for new readings and creative creations in the contemporary era.

The Professor of Persian Language and Literature of Shiraz University stated that the 30th International Hafez Day is focused on this topic to explore the deep and multi-faceted connection of Hafez's poetry with various fields of art and literature, and clarified: This event is an opportunity to present a new reading of Hafez's overt and hidden presence in the sphere of art and literature and examine the question of how his thought and words, after the passage of more than seven centuries, continue to inspire creation, interpretation and innovation in various artistic and literary fields. is

The necessity of strengthening the scientific infrastructure of conservation research

The academic secretary of Yadrouz Hafez, referring to the three decades of activity of the Hafez Center, considered the achievements of this collection to be the result of the collective efforts of its professors, researchers and members, and appreciated the companionship and empathy of people who have played a role in promoting the center's scientific and cultural activities in the past years.

He said: "The center of Hafez studies has tried to give directions to Hafez research activities by choosing central and diverse topics and provide new fields for studying and understanding Hafez's poetry and thought." The continuation of this path, in addition to the efforts of researchers, requires the strengthening of scientific infrastructures, the expansion of research connections, and the support of responsible institutions.

Dr. Hessampour said that one of the continuous activities of the Hafez Center is the publication of the "Hafez Research" magazine, and referring to the holding of specialized scientific meetings at the Hafez Center, he said: This center has held 12 specialized meetings in the past two years, six of which were domestic and the other six were international. These programs have been held with the aim of expanding scientific communication between Iranian researchers and researchers and Persian language and literature enthusiasts in other countries, and they can play an effective role in developing preservation studies and creating new fields for scientific exchange.

Memorization; Linking academic research with the general interest of society

The academic secretary of Yadrouz Hafez listed Hafez recitation courses as one of the center's key activities and said: These courses are held seasonally and more than 600 people participate in each course. A reception that shows the high capacity of Hafez's poetry to communicate with different audiences and go beyond the boundaries of academic and specialized environments.

He continued: Even during the period when the holding of Hafez reading classes in Hafiziyah faced problems due to the destruction of part of the building, the Center for Hafez Studies in cooperation with Shiraz University tried not to stop these programs and to continue the communication of those interested with Hafez reading sessions. The continuation of these periods shows that Hafez's poetry is still a living part of the general culture of the society and many audiences want a deeper understanding of his thought and worldview.

Taking advantage of new capacities and expanding comparative studies

The head of the Faculty of Literature and Humanities of Shiraz University, pointing to the necessity of using various methods to introduce Hafez to the new generation, considered the activities carried out in the field of animation and representation of the thought and poetry of this great poet as an example of the center's efforts to use artistic capacities in transferring literary heritage to today's audiences.

He also pointed to the research conducted on the reflection of Hafez's character in Arabic literature and stated: The study of Arabic novels about Hafez has provided a basis for the expansion of comparative studies. In this regard, with the research guidance of the Arabic language and literature students of Shiraz University, theses have been formed in this field and the results of some of these researches have been presented in international programs and conferences, including a program in Tunisia.

According to him, the identification of less researched areas and the targeted guidance of researches can open new horizons in Hafez research and reveal the various aspects of this poet's influence in different cultures and languages. Such an approach, along with specialized research on Hafez's poetry, can help to gain a wider understanding of his global position and strengthen cultural dialogues between nations.

Support for conservation studies; Investing to transfer cultural heritage to future generations

The academic secretary of Yadrouz Hafez, in summing up his words, listed the support of Hafez research activities, the strengthening of specialized and international meetings, the continuation of Hafez reading courses, and the support of cultural productions that fit the needs and languages of the new generation among the necessities of this field.

He emphasized: In its three decades of activity, the Hafez Center has tried to acquaint different audiences with Hafez's poetry and thought through scientific research, specialized meetings, training courses, written works, and the use of modern tools. The continuation and expansion of these activities requires more serious attention from the responsible institutions and support for the existing scientific and cultural capacities.

In the end, Dr. Hessampour thanked the colleagues of the Hafez Center and the professors, researchers and interested parties, and expressed his hope that in the 30th year of the activity of this center, the field for the expansion of Hafez researches, strengthening the scientific status of this field and more effective introduction of Hafez's thought and poetry to the future generations will be provided. He asked the national and provincial authorities to support the activities of this center and especially the effort to establish the building of the Center for Conservation, to provide the basis for the activities of this center as much as possible.

Hafiz; The leader of free thinkers and a wise and loving poet

Dr. Alireza Qayamati, a member of the Faculty of Farhangian University of Mashhad, in his speech entitled "Hafiz, the leader of the free-thinking circle; Hafez's Compassionate Worldview" emphasizing the place of thought and wisdom in Hafez's poetry, considered him one of the most thoughtful and wise poets in the world and stated: Hafez is a poet of wisdom, compassion and free-thinking before he is a poet of love and mysticism.

According to him, what gives Hafez respect and credibility in the eyes of the world is his freedom, free-spiritedness, freedom from prejudices and superstitions and, most precious of all, turning to human virtues, avoiding pride and self-righteousness, and avoiding harming others.

Referring to Hafez's intellectual independence, Dr. Qayamati added: Hafez is not prejudiced in his beliefs and does not consider himself to be the absolute right; He is far from any kind of absolutism and cannot accept what the society and those around him have accepted as his stable thought. He himself thinks about the foundation of existence, the creator and his existence, and he achieves certainty from the path of this thought.

He stated that Hafez's poetry is not a reflection of one voice, one thought, and one specific belief, but rather a herald of various thoughts and beliefs and a perfect example of polyphony. As he sings: "The war of seventy-two nations is an excuse for everyone/ because they did not see the truth, they told a myth."

Referring to the place of love in Hafez's worldview, this researcher said: In the eyes of Khawaja Rendan, love is the eternal secret of existence and is superior to any disbelief and faith, and its privacy is beyond the borders and walls that humans have built for themselves. Hafez is a true defender of freedom of belief and thought.

Dr. Qayamati also emphasized that Hafez has nothing to do with superstitions and superstitions, and the spirit of Iranian teachings and Khosravani's wisdom can be clearly seen in his thought. Instead of old beliefs and fixed ideas, Hafez replaces thought and thinking and passes all seen and heard through the filter of reason to get rid of prejudice and strictness. Therefore, it stands firm against hypocrites and dogmatists.

"Private memorization"; A mirror text to reproduce meaning

Alireza Mahmoudi Hamidi, author and researcher, in his speech entitled "Private memorization; Hafez's reflection in contemporary Persian fiction writing", addressed the mirroring feature of Hafez's poetry and its capacity to form multiple readings.

Stating that Hafez has achieved one of the greatest dreams of any speaker, he said: Hafez created a text in which everyone can see a picture of himself. A text in which meaning is present and transcends the final and fixed meaning, and a new meaning is reflected from it in each period, according to the needs of the time.

Mahmoudi Hamedi, referring to the mirror-like feature of literature in the thought of thinkers from Ain al-Qadat Hamdani to Stendhal and Ernest Hemingway, said: Although this feature of literature has been talked about, few people have been able to realize it in practice like Hafez and keep this capacity alive for centuries. The deep attachment of Persian speakers to Hafez and various readings of his poetry has created a great capital for the reproduction of meaning and the formation of a multifaceted relationship between Iranian culture and Hafez's sonnets.

He continued, referring to the contemporary theorists' view of this literary quality, and explained: Yuri Lutman sees this feature as an explosion in the text that occurs due to the density of meaning. Roland Barthes, in the theory of "zero degree of writing", presents it as a language utopia in which the text becomes transparent, and Paul Ricoeur and other theorists also emphasize the hermeneutics of the text and reader-oriented reading.

According to this researcher, all these characteristics are evident in Hafez's speech and the relationship of Persian speakers with his poetry. A capacity that can be called "private reading of Hafez". However, contemporary Persian literature has rarely been able to take advantage of this possibility in a practical way.

In the end, Mahmoudi Hamedi considered the novel "Private Recitation" as the result of a fifteen-year effort to take advantage of this unique capacity in the contemporary world and in the form of a modern novel; An attempt to recreate the Iranian experience of memorizing in a private way.

Hafez's sonnet and Iranian architecture; Sharing in worldview and organization of meaning

Engineer Mohammad Reza Haeri Mazandarani, architect and writer, in his speech "Another Narrative of Mehrazi in Hafez Shirazi's Ghazals", started his discussion by posing two questions: Can Hafez's Ghazals be the custodians of Iranian architecture? And can Iran's architecture be the guardian of Hafez's sonnets?

Referring to the relationship of these two areas with the Iranian society, he stated: If we measure these questions with the social opinions of the society, the answer is that Hafez does not need Iranian architecture to last; Because his sonnets are deeply rooted in the daily life of Iranian society yesterday and today. But Iranian architecture, especially contemporary architecture, is in dire need of protection; It is also a protection from the kind of protective gaze.

Referring to the common narratives about the relationship between Iranian architecture and Hafez's poetry, this architect and researcher added: These narratives have paid less attention to the shared worldview and conceptual networks between Iranian architecture and Hafez's sonnets, and have paid more attention to words and terms in his poetry, such as Shahneshin, rope, mansion, water and flowers.