Firdeusi Institute

Seal of Firdeusi Institute for Persian Studies

Firdeusi (eng: Ferdowsi) Institute for Iranian and Persian Studies is a non-for-profit and non-governmental organisation, which scientific and research activity is conducted autonomously, and is not biased by political or religious matters. The Institute has been established in the form of “Center” (with no membership) by two founders: Marin Barleti University and Iranian Cultural Foundation “Saadi Shirazi” [1] thanks to the Cooperation agreement held in October 6, 2010. The ceremony of launching was held on 29 October 2010, initiating the functioning of the first research institute for Persian studies in Albania, at University level.

The Institute name “Firdeusi” (eng: Ferdowsi) comes the greatest Persian poets, thinkers and writers, Abul-Kasim Hasan Pur-Ali Tusi Ferdowsi, known otherwise as the Father of the Iranology Studies worldwide. The choice came also as a tribute to the “Ferdowsi Shahnameh Millenium” proclaimed by UNESCO in 2010. The Institute Logo has been inspired by the poet’s name and is interwoven with calligraphy elements from the Persian language. Logo represents an open book, being a metaphor of the scientific character of the Institute.

Persian studies in Albania

Iranian studies in Albania although not academically pursued, have always enjoyed Albanian people interest. The diffusion of Persian literature and culture in Albania is closely linked with the presence of Ottoman Empire in Albania and with the heavy influence Persian culture exerted on the Ottoman administration and Turkish culture of the era. Another key factor in the popularisation of Persian culture among Albanians is the expansion of Islam in the territories lived in by Albanians during the 16th and 17th centuries. Meanwhile, during the 19th century, the Persian language was widely used among Albanian intellectuals.

Naim and Sami Frashëri were among the most prominent scholars of oriental and Iranian studies in Albania. Naim Frashëri published two books in Persian: the first, Grammar of the Persian Language was published in 1871, while the second one, a compilation of poems in Persian, Tehajjulat" was published in 1885. These represented the cornerstone of Persian literature and culture in Albania.

Other personalities of Iranology in Albania include: Vexhi Buharaja, translator into Albanian language of many Persian books (such as “Gjylistani dhe Bostani” “3500 verses from Shahname”, etc.), Tahir Dizdari, author of “Persian words in Albanian language”, Hafiz Ali Korca and Fan Noli, with his translation of Omar Khajam’s famous “quatrains”, Dalan Shapllo, scholar, writer and translator of Hafiz Shirazi’s mystical poems and many more contemporaneous Albanian linguists, scholars and writers.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Official web-site of Saadi Shirazi Cultural Foundation". iranalbania.ir.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.