TEHRAN - Iran marked National Saadi Day on Monday, commemorating the 13th-century Iranian poet whose works continue to shape Persian culture and global humanist thought.
Mowlana Abu-Muhammad Muslih al-Din bin Abdallah Shirazi, known as Saadi, authored timeless masterpieces including Golestan (The Rose Garden) and Bustan (The Orchard).
Born in Shiraz (1210-1291 CE), his works uniquely blend lyrical beauty with moral philosophy, making him one of history’s most translated Persian poets.
Culture Minister Abbas Salehi emphasized Saadi’s contemporary relevance in a public message, saying, “In these turbulent times, Saadi’s call for solidarity – ‘Human beings are limbs of one body’ – reminds us that dialogue and empathy are not slogans, but necessities for national progress.”
The minister particularly highlighted Saadi’s couplet: “Better to journey through deserts than sit idle in doubt/If I fail, I’ll strive within my means” as guidance for youth.
Academic institutions nationwide hosted symposiums analyzing Saadi’s influence on global literature, while UNESCO-affiliated cultural centers held recitations of his works in Persian, English, and 12 other languages.
Saadi’s mausoleum in Shiraz saw record attendance, with visitors placing roses, as a tribute to Golestan, beneath his iconic marble cenotaph.