Ankara University honors Iranian author Hushang Moradi Kermani

TEHRAN,Dec.13 (MNA) -- The Persian language and literature department of Ankara University paid homage to eminent writer Hushang Moradi Kermani during a ceremony on Sunday. Cosponsored by the Iranian cultural attaché’s office in Turkey, the event was attended by several Iranian and Turkish university students. “It is the duty of each Iranian to introduce Persian literature to the world and I am not an exception,” Moradi Kermani mentioned during the event. He said that the literature of each country manifests its national glory, culture and history to the world. “Each literary work has two aspects, one is reading and the other is its message. However, I did not intend to advise children in ‘Stories of Majid’ and I think it is the reason that the book has been welcomed in different countries,” he said. Kelime Publications released the Turkish version of “The Stories of Majid” by Nezahat Basci which has been enthusiastically received by Turkish readers. The Turkish version of “The Stories of Majid” was also selected as the Best Book in the field of translation at the ISTEK Schools International in Istanbul. Moradi Kermani also pointed to the cultural communalities between the two neighboring countries of Iran and Turkey, saying that it is one of the reasons that his books have been welcomed by Turkish children. “Sweet Jam”, “Like the Full Moon,” “The Tandoor” and “The Cruse” are other works by Kermani that have been translated into Turkish by Nezahat Basci. Afterwards, Turkish author and literary critic Mustafa Aslan made a short speech on works by Moradi Kermani. “I’ve been acquainted with Moradi Kermani through his stories and I think that ‘Stories of Majid” is inspired by his own childhood,” he mentioned. He suggested that the author’s use of familiar characters in his stories like grocers and other people who are present in the society is the reason that his stories have been given a warm reception in Turkey. “Although he is not a satirist, his writings are full of black comedy as well as educational issues,” he said. “Moradi Kermani also benefited from classic poets like Hafez, Sadi and Rumi in his works,” he concluded. At the ceremony, Iran’s cultural attaché to Ankara Abolhasssan Khalaj-Monfared pointed to communities between Iran and Turkey. “Iran and Turkey shares communalities in language, ideas and feelings through the centuries. Turkish children have concerns similar to those of Iranian children and this is the reason that Kermani’s books are welcomed in this country,” he said. At the end of the ceremony, Moradi Kermani answered questions from the participants. Moradi Kermani, 67, is an eminent writer of books primarily for children and teenagers. However, his works also appeal to adults. His credits include “Sweet Jam” and “Like the Full Moon”, “Cushion”, and “The Big Clay Jar”, most of which have been translated into English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Arabic, Armenian, Turkish and several other languages. Moradi Kermani has been nominated for world literary awards such as the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in Sweden and the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award in Switzerland.