Panelists consider status of Persian language in Bosnia and Herzegovina

1394/02/25-09:55

A prominent Bosnian researcher in Iran studies says there are many authors in Bosnia and Herzegovina who wish to have their works translated and published in Persian.

Head of Oriental studies department at Sarajevo University, Juanita Harwich was speaking in a panel discussion on the status of Persian language in the European nation.

The Panel discussion was held on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 28^th Tehran International Book Fair (TIBF) and was also joined by Head of Iran-Poland friendship group, Ali Reza Dolatshahi as well as a group of graduates in Persian language from Sarajevo University.

Harwich highlighted the existing common cultural grounds between Iran and Bosnia, adding however that the two nations have had no direct exchanges in recent years concerning Persian language and literature.

The university professor said young Bosnians are interested in Iranian culture and civilization due to, as he maintained, the effects of the five-century presence of the Ottoman government in Bosnia that served as a conduit for the Iranian culture and language.

The Bosnian personality said the Persian language and literature has been taught in Sarajevo University for the past 65 years owing to Bosnian people’s interest.

According to Harwich, a number of precious Persian manuscripts are held in various Bosnian libraries and Bosnian students are interested in conducting researches about them.

The Bosnian university professor also said such Persian masterpieces as Molawi’s Mathnavi, Sa’adi’s Bustan and Golestan and Hafiz’ Divan have been translated into Bosnian, adding that the mystic content of the masterpieces have even motivated many Bosnian university professors to learn Persian in order to read the books.

Harwich talked of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Sarajevo University and two Iranian universities under which the two sides would exchange professors and students.

The Bosnian figure named the two universities as Hamedan’s Abu Ali Sina University and Isfahan University of Persian Language and Literature.