From Shams and Mowlana to Nima: Iran Revisits Its Literary Heritage

TEHRAN -- Iran is set to host two international literary and cultural events in October, bringing together scholars to examine the legacies of two influential figures in Persian literature: the contemporary poet Nima Yushij and the classical mystics Shams of Tabriz and Mowlana Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi.
Iran University Press will participate in the first International Nima Yushij Festival and support the 12th International Conference on Shams and Mowlana, Ahmad Shakeri, the press’s deputy for research and technology, told the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA).
Shakeri said the press’s involvement was intended to strengthen connections among universities and research institutions, academic publishing, and Iran’s cultural and literary heritage, rather than simply support the organization of individual events.
The first International Nima Yushij Festival will be hosted by the University of Mazandaran in October 2026, with the participation of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology’s deputy office for cultural and social affairs and a number of Iranian and international academic and cultural institutions.
Nima Yushij, widely regarded as one of the major figures in the transformation of modern Persian poetry, is the focus of the festival’s interdisciplinary program. According to Shakeri, discussions will extend beyond the formal development of modern poetry to cultural, social, artistic and literary studies, as well as contemporary themes including peace and reconciliation.
The festival will include discussions of literary criticism, modern and classical poetry and Mazandarani poetry, alongside cultural, social and artistic studies. Its international dimension, Shakeri said, could provide an opportunity to introduce Nima’s contribution and the development of modern Persian poetry to researchers and audiences outside Iran.
The 12th International Conference on Shams and Mowlana will take place on October 7 and 8 in Khoy, West Azerbaijan Province, coinciding with National Shams and Mowlana Day. The event is expected to bring researchers and scholars together to present new findings and reconsider the intellectual and mystical heritage associated

with Shams of Tabriz and Mowlana.

Shams of Tabriz and Mowlana Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi remain major subjects of research in Iranian and international scholarship, while their works continue to shape discussions of Persian literature, mysticism and cultural history.

Shakeri stressed that the long-term value of academic festivals and conferences depends partly on documenting and publishing their results. Iran University Press, he said, intends to use its publishing capacity to make research presented at the two events more accessible and to strengthen links among researchers, universities, cultural institutions and the wider public.

Despite their different subjects, the two events share a broader objective: reassessing Iran’s literary heritage in response to contemporary questions. Shams and Mowlana represent a major strand of Iran’s classical mystical and literary tradition, while Nima marks a decisive transformation in modern Persian poetry.

Bringing the two traditions into contemporary scholarly discussion, Shakeri said, can help illuminate both the continuity and transformation of Iranian culture and literature.

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From Shams and Mowlana to Nima: Iran Revisits Its Literary Heritage