Persian Language: The Heartbeat of Iran’s Unity and Cultural Heritage Highlighted at Conference

On Tuesday, the seventh National Conference on “Languages and Dialects of Iran” took place at the Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia in Tehran. This event highlighted the crucial role of the Persian language in promoting unity and solidarity among the Iranian people. Experts gathered to discuss the significance of Iran’s linguistic heritage, emphasizing how Iranian languages have historically connected the diverse nations of the region, thereby reinforcing cultural bonds and a shared identity, as reported by IRNA.

Seyyed Mohammad Kazem Mousavi Bojnordi, the President of the Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia, underscored the importance of the Persian language as a fundamental element of unity among Iranians. He pointed out that the diverse Iranian languages have historically served as a bridge linking the nations of the region. In his address, he stated that:

“Iranian languages and dialects embody the documents of their national, religious, and cultural identity. Therefore, research, preservation, and dissemination of these invaluable treasures are among the most vital duties of all lovers of Iran’s civilization and culture.”

He further added, “I would like to remind that, besides Persian, the widespread use of Turkish and Arabic among many of our compatriots enriches the cultural and scholarly fabric of Iranian languages and continually enhances their value.”

Bojnordi emphasized that Persian, as the official language, is viewed as one of the key elements of unity among all Iranians. He stated:

“It possesses an immense cultural, literary, and scientific treasure trove that has historically united Iranians and has remained an unbreakable bond that no force can sever.”

The conference aimed to familiarize participants with the latest research achievements in the field of Iranian languages and texts. It also sought to examine the scope of Iranian languages as a unifying factor among regional nations while inspiring young researchers to delve deeper into the realm of Iranian linguistics.

Jaleh Amouzegar, a member of the Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia, expressed her thoughts on the shared significance of Iran. She stated:

“Our shared concern is Iran itself, and these days we are more mindful of it. When Iran is mentioned, the Persian language appears, as we all communicate in one language. Together, we read and understand the Shahnameh and Golestan, and we pay homage to Ferdowsi and Saadi.”

Amouzegar also spoke about the importance of preserving dialects, comparing this endeavor to uncovering an archaeological site. She remarked:

“Discovering dialects is akin to uncovering an archaeological site; we must preserve dialects to prevent their disappearance.”

She emphasized the need to respect dialects, expressing her hope that:

“God preserves Iran and the Persian language, because we take pride in nothing more than our language. In Iran, we share a common love for it.”

Ali Ashraf Sadeqi, another prominent member of the center, mentioned UNESCO’s emphasis on preserving endangered languages, noting that:

“Many Iranian dialects have vanished over centuries. For example, today we know little about the language of Hafez and Saadi in the 7th and 8th centuries, and the official language was Dari.”

He further elaborated on the historical evolution of the Persian language, stating:

“The language was simplified during the Constitutional Revolution, and the first Academy, established by Mohammad Ali Foroughi, refined word-formation practices that had been neglected for centuries. To this day, the Academy of Persian Language and Literature has coined about 80,000 scientific terms.”

Sadeqi also addressed the presence of borrowed words in Persian, asserting:

“All languages contain regional words, and the presence of borrowed words is not a flaw. We should not think that Arabic words are a burden on Persian; they have been part of our language for over a thousand years.”

He added that:

“Even scientific terminology in Arabic is an Iranian mental construct. The Iranian spirit is embedded within Arabic, and if we cling to false notions of language purity or nationalism, we risk destroying our cultural continuity.”

Mahmoud Jafari Dehaqi, the Scientific Secretary of the conference, stated that:

“Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-Iranian language family and belong to the Indo-European language group.”

He reiterated the importance of Persian as a unifying element among Iranians, claiming:

“Today, we believe that Persian is not only Iran’s heritage but a shared legacy of Middle Eastern nations. It belongs to Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and many other peoples—who have cultivated and developed philosophical thought, emotions, and literary expressions through it over centuries.”

Jafari Dehaqi expressed optimism for the future, stating that:

“With the support of Iranian and global linguists and scholars, we can take new steps in introducing and safeguarding Iranian languages and dialects.”

The conference concluded with a series of scholarly presentations covering various dialects, linguistic analyses, and regional language studies, culminating in the unveiling of the book “Collected Articles of the Sixth National Conference on Languages and Dialects of Iran.”