AhlulBayt News Agency: Ali Temizal, head of the Department of Persian Language and Literature at Seljuk University in Konya, highlighted in his speech that cultural, scientific, and political ties between Turks and Persians extend back more than two millennia. He noted that Turkey annually produces hundreds of scholarly articles and dozens of books on the Persian language.
At the International Conference on Iranian Studies, Temizal stressed that Turkey and Iran, situated along the historic Silk Road, are two pivotal nations in the region. With youthful populations, diverse developing sectors, and abundant natural resources, he remarked that the destiny of each country is shaped not only by its geography but also by its neighbor.
Turkey and Iran have shared borders for nearly a thousand years, with relations dating back to pre-Christian times. During the Sassanid era, Persians and Turks maintained friendly ties, which continued for centuries. In the Ottoman period, the two nations were close allies. Today, their cooperation spans culture, literature, trade, politics, international relations, tourism, transportation, energy, and more.
Temizal emphasized that language plays a central role in strengthening cultural bonds. Alongside religion, folklore, and social solidarity, language serves as the primary means of communication. He explained that Turks had long lived in Iran and were familiar with Persian, so its introduction into Turkey faced few barriers. After the adoption of Islam, relations between the two nations deepened further.
He added that Turkey has long embraced Persian, promoting and learning the language. In the Seljuk and Ottoman eras, Persian was considered a prestigious literary language, and many significant historical sources and classical works of Turkish literature were written in Persian.
Finally, Temizal concluded that even in the Republican era, Turkish universities continued to prioritize Persian. He noted that ten universities currently host Persian language departments, with three distinct academic tracks admitting students. No other foreign language enjoys such extensive institutional support in Turkey.
/129
Your Comment