In honor of the National Day of Persian Poetry and Literature, observed on September 18th, the Saadi Foundation is organizing an international contest titled '20 Words, One Text'. The goal of the event is to promote the Persian language and literature among enthusiasts and learners worldwide.
According to information provided by the Saadi Foundation's Public Relations Department, participants from around the world who study the Persian language can create a short piece using a predefined list of words and submit it as a video recording to the contest secretariat, as reported by the IRNA agency.
Participants are required to compose and recite a Persian text dedicated to Iran, Persian poetry, and literature, necessarily including the following words: history, world, Iran, civilization, culture, art, Persian literature, poet, author, respect, peace, love, freedom, attachment, independence, Shahriar, importance, enthusiast, and wish.
The secretariat has established rules stipulating that submissions must be filmed vertically and last no more than two minutes in the Persian language. At the beginning of the video, participants must state their name and country of residence.
The deadline for submission is set for September 17th. After evaluating all submitted materials, five winners will be announced and will receive prizes.
The Saadi Foundation was established in 2012, and since then, it has been laying the groundwork for teaching and studying the Persian language globally. The Foundation actively promotes the spread of the Persian language by developing methodologies and standards for its instruction. In addition to courses offered both in-person and online in Iran and abroad, the foundation operates over 40 centers worldwide for student education.
Over ten years of operation, the foundation serves as a bridge connecting non-Iranians with Iranians and the ancient country of Iran, whose civilization has always been a significant subject of study for Orientalists and Iranianologists. Without knowing the language, it is impossible to study the culture and civilization.
The Persian language is an ancient classical language that has stood the test of time, especially due to its rich literature. Many people who are not Iranian have developed a love for this literature, which spans over a thousand years, and have become interested in learning the language to read masterpieces by poets and authors such as Ferdowsi, Omar Khayyam, Attar of Nishapur, Hafez, Rumi, Abul-Fadl Bayhaqi, and Saadi Shirazi in Persian. Over the last decade, the Saadi Foundation has established itself as the premier place for culture lovers wishing to study Persian.