DUSHANBE, June 20, Asia-Plus — The writings of Abu Abdullah Jafar ibn Mohammad Roudaki, the poet considered to have laid the foundations of Tajik-Persian classical literature, should serve as an inspiration to international efforts to combat extremism and attempts to divide peoples and cultures, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon remarked at a commemoration ceremony on the 1150th anniversary of the birth of Roudaki at United Nations Headquarters in New York on June 18, according to UN News Center.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Ban said it was fitting that the world body, given its goals, should celebrate the life of a poet “who so beautifully extolled the virtues of good and justice.
“With simplicity and elegance, Roudaki pioneered a great tradition, laying the foundation for Persian classical literature,” the Secretary General said. “He took poetry from the realm of the abstract into contemporary life. And, in the process, he shed new philosophical light on society. Roudaki is truly the ‘Sultan of Poets’.”
Mr. Ban said Roudaki’s influence is particularly important today, given the work of the UN-backed Alliance of Civilizations, “our initiative to counter extremism and heal the divisions that threaten our world.”
The commemoration, which was attended by many scholars and artists, was organized by the permanent representatives of Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran.
