TEHRAN, March 16 (Mehr News Agency) -- Shiraz is celebrating World Poetry Day (March 21) during a week-long conference which commenced on March 16.

Gateway to Shiraz

The only city in the country which pays due attention to the celebration of world poetry day is Shiraz, said secretary of the conference Kavus Hassanli, adding, "This goes to show that the city possesses vigorous and active literary movements."

Several projects have been organized for the conference including a seminar reviewing Iran's poetry and contemporary literary theories, he added.

With Hafez in Shiraz (by Syma Sayyah)

He continued, "The series of articles reviewed during the first conference held last year was compiled in three volumes. This year, the articles that are being analyzed concentrate on the position of Persian poetry amongst other world languages."

"Ten literary experts are to deliver speeches on the influence of Persian poetry in Kordestan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Afghanistan and India. All the articles will later be compiled and published," Hassanli explained.

Iranian Poet Saadi Shirazi: Of one Essence is the human race
(by Syma Sayyah)

He also remarked that Fars Province's veteran and young poets have been invited to recite their poetry at the conference.

"These kinds of events promote the participation of Shiraz in world literary events and might even assist in its gaining UNESCO's World City of Literature title in the future," he concluded.

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