Iran’s university of Urmia and Turkey’s Yuzuncu Yil University are slated to hold a joint symposium on the Persian poet Mowlavi’s Masnavi Ma'navi in the Turkish city of Van.

The literary event, which is the second symposium on the poet, is scheduled to discuss the influence of the 13th-century Iranian poet Mowlavi’s works and thoughts on the contemporary poets, said the executive secretary of the symposium Mahboub Talei.

Some papers are programmed to be selected from among over 300 submitted articles and published for distribution at the symposium, he added.

Iran’s University of Urmia hosted the first symposium focused on the theme of 'Husam al-Din Chelebi' and 'Masnavi Ma'navi'.

Jalal ad-Din Mohammad Balkhi, known Mowlavi in Persian, was a poet, mystic and theologian.

Mowlavi who is also known as Rumi in Western countries, was born in Balkh (now part of Afghanistan) and passed away in Konya, Turkey, where he was laid to rest.

During his 66-years of life, he has left a legacy of major poetic and prose works; among them, The Quatrains (rubaiyat), Divane-Shams (or the great works of Shams) and Fihe Ma Fi(a collection of mystical sayings).

Mowlavi is better known for his six-volume Masnavi Ma'navi (spiritual couplets) which is considered by many to be one of the greatest works of both Islamic mysticism and Persian literature.

The symposium on 'Masnavi Ma'navi' will take place from May 22 to 24, 2013.
 

News ID 184698