The First Scholarly Dialogue Between Scholars of the Nowruz Cultural Sphere and the Ibero-American World

Report by the Directorate for International Academic Cooperation—

The International Conference on "The First Scholarly Dialogue Between Scholars of the Nowruz Cultural Region and the Ibero-American World," focusing on historical, academic, and cultural relations between the Ibero-American world and the Nowruz cultural sphere, including the countries of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, was held at Allameh Tabataba'i University (ATU) on 8 and 9 December 2024.

Organized by the Directorate for International Academic Cooperation and Spanish Language Department at ATU, the event took place at the Central Library and Documentation Centre of the university. Iranian Peace Studies Scientific Association (IPSAN, Iran), Persian Peoples Studies Group (Spain), Tajik National University (TNU, Tajikistan) and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain) were the other contributors to the scholarly event.

In the beginning of the event, Dr Shoja Ahmadvand, the acting president of ATU, emphasized the university's commitment to strengthening dialogues and expanding cultural ties with other countries and stated: "As the largest humanities university in West Asia, ATU is dedicated to becoming a centre of excellence to address national challenges. We see ourselves as responsible for broadening the horizons of cooperation, increasing cultural ties, and laying the groundwork for dialogue with other scholars."

Highlighting the urgent need in the world for dialogue and mutual understanding, Dr Ahmadvand added: "Many of the issues between countries stem from a lack of mutual understanding and the absence of platforms for dialogue. Hosting participants from diverse nations at this scholarly and cultural event demonstrates ATU's determination to establish a similar platform for dialogue among scholars and academics."

Dr Ahmadvand then underscored the vast natural, cultural, and social capacities of both the Nowruz sphere and the Ibero-American world, explaining ATU's efforts to strengthen ties with these regions. He elaborated on several agreements signed with universities in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Russia, Turkey, Spain, Brazil, and Portugal, stating that the conference tries to implement the same agreements, aiming to deepen relations between the Nowruz world and the Ibero-American regions.

He then referred to Nowruz as an ancient global celebration and added, "Nowruz offers opportunities for renewing cultural and academic collaborations among countries. Similarly, the Ibero-American nations' rich history and culture positions them as valuable partners in such efforts.

In the end, Dr Ahmadvand presented several suggestions for expanding collaborations among the Nowruz and Ibero-American regions, including the organization of joint festivals and events to showcase mutual cultures; holding art and cultural exhibitions to present works by artists from both regions; launching research projects in areas like environmental studies and technological innovation, along with student and researcher exchanges to expand academic and cultural horizons; establishing student exchange programs, providing scholarships, and creating joint educational courses to introduce each other’s languages, literatures, histories, and cultures; collaborating in innovative ICT projects and creating virtual platforms to facilitate scholarly and cultural communication; partnering on environmental conservation and sustainable development projects, and exchanging expertise in agriculture and natural resources.

In the next section, Dr Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, President of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature and the Saadi Foundation, delivered a keynote address. He commended ATU’s efforts in humanities and its long-standing focus on Spanish language and culture, stating: "ATU has successfully opened the door to academic and cultural exchanges with a vast part of the world, encompassing Europe and the Americas. And it is a delight to see Nowruz as the centerpiece of this connection."

Exploring the historical and cultural significance of Nowruz, Dr Haddad-Adel described it as both a deeply rooted cultural celebration and a symbol of Iranian national identity, linking it to pre-Islamic and mythological traditions. He highlighted Nowruz's enduring relevance due to its alignment with natural and astronomical phenomena, such as the spring equinox, and its integration into the lives of people in Iran and beyond.

He further highlighted Nowruz’s co-existence with Islamic culture, its reflection in Persian and Arabic literature, and its recognition as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.

Dr Haddad-Adel then concluded by emphasizing the importance of enhancing the academic and cultural ties with Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, proposing research into shared histories and cultures to deepen mutual understanding.

The conference took place for two days, and scholars from Nowruz and Ibero-American cultures presented papers on relevant topics.