By IRNA,
London : Professor Peter Ivery has been presented with the Farabi International Award for Persian language and literature at a ceremony at the Iranian Embassy in London.
Receiving the acclaimed award on Friday evening, the professor said he found it difficult to express his “profound gratitude” to be bestowed with such an honour.
“I would like to consider this award less a matter of personal recognition for years of work on Persian literature than recognition of determination to keep alive in the English-speaking world a proper sense of respect for the culture of Iran and to spread abroad news of that culture,” he said.
“It has certainly been my aim, and today is increasingly so, to inform my fellow countrymen of the outstanding beauty, order, peace- instilling quality of the culture of Iran and especially in the Persian poetry,” Ivery said.
The poetry, he said, had been an inspiration to him since he was a very young man when he first became acquainted with the greatness of Hafiz.
Among Avery’s most recent books are paperback versions of Hafiz of Shiraz and The Collected Lyrics of Hafiz of Shiraz. He is also acclaimed for Speech of the Birds, the first complete translation in prose of Attar’s Mantiqu’t-Tair.
He said that in addition to the inspirational qualities of Iranian cultural achievements down the ages, the principal joy of his life had been due to his association with Iranians and the country’s “civilization, gentleness, kindness, wittiness and understanding of human failures and achievements.”
Presenting the award, Iranian Ambassador to London Rasoul Movahedian alluded to the professor, who lectured at Cambridge University for more than 40 years, and his valuable life as a wise scholar and precios researcher in Persian literature and culture.
“Professor Peter Avery is a prominent example of a scholar who has been charmed by the spiritual theme of Persian poetry. He learned to experience love in the School of Hafiz, mysticism in the School of Molavi Rumi and ministration in the School of Ferdousi,” he said.
“The beat and rhythm in Farsi language and poetry attract almost everyone. Its substance always encourage compromising, forgiving and negotiating trends, and in human civilisation, Iranian refection based on godliness, piety and love has always been the pioneer of peace and understanding,” the ambassador said.